2022/02/27 by Asaf Hershkovitz, Hemaprabha Elangovan, Hershkovitz, Asaf +9
Materials Science · #FOS: Physical sciences #Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci) #Solid-state spectroscopy and crystallography
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2202.13442
openalex publication_date 2022/02/27 · openalex created_date 2022/04/03 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Ferroelectric domains are mesoscale structures that mediate between synchronized atomic-scale ion displacements and switchable macroscopic polarization. Here, we evaluated the randomness of the domain distribution at the onset of ferroelectricity. First-principle calculations combined with atomic-scale imaging demonstrate that oxygen vacancies that serve as pinning sites for the ferroic domain walls remain immobile above the Curie temperature. Thus, upon cooling to a ferroelectric state, these oxygen vacancies dictate reproducible domain-wall patterning. Domain-scale imaging with variable-temperature piezoresponse force microscopy confirmed the memory effect, questioning the spontaneity of domain distribution under thermotropic transitions.