Atomic-Scale Visualization of Polarization Pinning and Relaxation at Coherent BiFeO3/LaAlO3 Interfaces

Huang, Rong; Ding, Hang-Chen; Liang, Wen-I; Gao, Yong-Chao; Tang, Xiao-Dong; He, Qing; Duan, Chun-Gang; Zhu, Ziqiang; Chu, Junhao; Fisher, Craig A.J.; Hirayama, Tsukasa; Ikuhara, Yuichi; Chu, Ying-Hao

Abstract

Complex oxide heterointerfaces, which play host to an incredible variety of interface physical phenomena, are of great current interest in introducing new functionalities to systems. Here, coherent super‐tetragonal BiFeO3/LaAlO3 and rhombohedral BiFeO3/LaAlO3 heterointerfaces are investigated by using a combination of high‐angle annular dark‐field (HAADF) imaging and annular bright‐field (ABF) imaging in a spherical aberration (Cs) corrected scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM), and first‐principles calculations. The complicated ferroelectric polarization pinning and relaxation that occurs at both interfaces is revealed with atomic resolution, with a dramatic change in structure of BiFeO3, from cubic to super‐tetragonal‐like. The results enable a detailed explanation to be given of how non‐bulk phase structures are stabilized in thin films of this material.

Citation

Huang, R., Ding, H., Liang, W., Gao, Y., Tang, X., He, Q., …Chu, Y. (2014). Atomic-Scale Visualization of Polarization Pinning and Relaxation at Coherent BiFeO3/LaAlO3 Interfaces. Advanced Functional Materials, 24(6), 793-799. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201301470

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Jul 12, 2013
• Publication Date: 2014-02
• Deposit Date: Dec 5, 2016
• Journal: Advanced Functional Materials
• Print ISSN: 1616-301X
• Electronic ISSN: 1616-3028
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 793-799
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201301470
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1369450