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In situ observation of the motion of ferroelectric domain walls in Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 single crystals
Author(s) -
Ye Wanneng,
Tang Lingli,
Lu Chaojing,
Li Huabing,
Zhou Yichun
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of applied crystallography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.429
H-Index - 162
ISSN - 1600-5767
DOI - 10.1107/s1600576716012267
Subject(s) - transmission electron microscopy , ferroelectricity , nucleation , materials science , poling , electron microscope , crystallography , optics , optical microscope , annihilation , electron , condensed matter physics , scanning electron microscope , physics , chemistry , optoelectronics , dielectric , thermodynamics , quantum mechanics
Five types of ferroelectric domain walls (DWs) are present in Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 single crystals (Ye et al. , 2015). Here their motion was investigated in situ using transmission electron microscopy and optical microscopy. The motion of P ( a ) ‐90° DWs, P ( a ) ‐180° DWs and P ( c ) ‐180° DWs was observed through electron beam poling in a transmission electron microscope. The growth of new P s( a ) ‐180° nanodomains was frequently seen and they tended to nucleate at preexisting P s( a ) ‐90° DWs. Irregularly curved P ( c ) ‐180° DWs exhibit the highest mobility, while migration over a short range occurs occasionally for faceted P s( a ) ‐90° DWs. In addition, the motion of P s( a ) ‐90° DWs and the growth/annihilation of new needle‐like P s( a ) ‐90° domains in a 20 µm‐thick crystal were observed under an external electric field on an optical microscope. Most of the new needle‐like P s( a ) ‐90° domains nucleate at preexisting P s( a ) ‐90° DWs and the former are much smaller than the latter. This is very similar to the situation for P s( a ) ‐180° domain switching induced by electron beam poling in a transmission electron microscope. Our observations suggest the energy hierarchy for different domains of P s( c ) ‐180° ≤ P s( a ) ‐180° ≤ P s( a ) ‐90° ≤ new needle‐like P s( a ) ‐90° in ferroelectric Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 .