Polarization switching in (001)-oriented Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-x%PbTiO3 crystals: Direct observation of heterogeneous nucleation by piezoreponse force microscopy

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Date

2004-11-01

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AIP Publishing

Abstract

Polarization switching in (001)-oriented Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-x%PbTiO3, PMN-x%PT, crystals for x=20 and 35 has been investigated in situ by scanning force microscopy in a piezoresponse mode, under a step-increased dc electrical voltage (V-dc). The results demonstrate that switching initiates by the nucleation of nanosized polar regions with a reversed polarization. For x=20, nucleation occurs heterogeneously throughout the volume of the crystal. However, with increasing PT content, nucleation tends to preferentially initiate near preexisting twin boundaries; with increasing V-dc, the domains becoming increasingly "diffuse" due to heterogeneous nucleation and growth throughout the crystal. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.

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Keywords

Electromechanical properties, Monoclinic phase, Single crystals, Kinetics, Titanate, Ferroelectrics, Ceramics, Symmetry, Stress, Physics

Citation

Bai, FM; Li, JF; Viehland, D., "Polarization switching in (001)-oriented Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-x%PbTiO3 crystals: Direct observation of heterogeneous nucleation by piezoreponse force microscopy," Appl. Phys. Lett. 85, 4457 (2004); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1819993