Journal Article

FZJ-2016-04469

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Néel-like domain walls in ferroelectric Pb(Zr,Ti)O$_{3}$ single crystals

Wei, X.-K. (Corresponding author) ; Jia, C.-L.FZJ* ; Sluka, T. ; Wang, B.-X. ; Ye, Z.-G. ; Setter, N.

2016
Nature Publishing Group London

This record in other databases:      

Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/12205  doi:10.1038/ncomms12385

Abstract: In contrast to the flexible rotation of magnetization direction in ferromagnets, the spontaneous polarization in ferroelectric materials is highly confined along the symmetry-allowed directions. Accordingly, chirality at ferroelectric domain walls was treated only at the theoretical level and its real appearance is still a mystery. Here we report a Néel-like domain wall imaged by atom-resolved transmission electron microscopy in Ti-rich ferroelectric Pb(Zr1−xTix)O3 crystals, where nanometre-scale monoclinic order coexists with the tetragonal order. The formation of such domain walls is interpreted in the light of polarization discontinuity and clamping effects at phase boundaries between the nesting domains. Phase-field simulation confirms that the coexistence of both phases as encountered near the morphotropic phase boundary promotes the polarization to rotate in a continuous manner. Our results provide a further insight into the complex domain configuration in ferroelectrics, and establish a foundation towards exploring chiral domain walls in ferroelectrics.

---

Contributing Institute(s):

1. Mikrostrukturforschung (PGI-5)

Research Program(s):

1. 143 - Controlling Configuration-Based Phenomena (POF3-143) (POF3-143)

Appears in the scientific report 2016

---

Database coverage:
; ; ; ; BIOSIS Previews ; Current Contents - Agriculture, Biology and Environmental Sciences ; Current Contents - Life Sciences ; Current Contents - Physical, Chemical and Earth Sciences ; DOAJ Seal ; IF >= 10 ; JCR ; NCBI Molecular Biology Database ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Thomson Reuters Master Journal List ; Web of Science Core Collection ; Zoological Record

---