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Universal Behavior and Electric‐Field‐Induced Structural Transition in Rare‐Earth‐Substituted BiFeO 3
Author(s) -
Kan Daisuke,
Pálová Lucia,
Anbusathaiah Varatharajan,
Cheng Ching Jung,
Fujino Shigehiro,
Nagarajan Valanoor,
Rabe Karin M.,
Takeuchi Ichiro
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.200902017
Subject(s) - materials science , ionic radius , ferroelectricity , phase transition , orthorhombic crystal system , condensed matter physics , dielectric , perovskite (structure) , electric field , dopant , piezoelectricity , phase (matter) , polarization (electrochemistry) , hysteresis , ferroics , crystal structure , doping , crystallography , ion , quantum phase transition , quantum critical point , optoelectronics , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , composite material
The discovery of a universal behavior in rare‐earth (RE)‐substituted perovskite BiFeO 3 is reported. The structural transition from the ferroelectric rhombohedral phase to an orthorhombic phase exhibiting a double‐polarization hysteresis loop and substantially enhanced electromechanical properties is found to occur independent of the RE dopant species. The structural transition can be universally achieved by controlling the average ionic radius of the A‐site cation. Using calculations based on first principles, the energy landscape of BiFeO 3 is explored, and it is proposed that the origin of the double hysteresis loop and the concomitant enhancement in the piezoelectric coefficient is an electric‐field‐induced transformation from a paraelectric orthorhombic phase to the polar rhombohedral phase.