Ferroelectric domain structure of SrBi2Nb2O9 epitaxial thin films.
The domain structure in a ferroelectric with well-defined crystallography and negligible ferroelastic distortion (<0.002%) is reported. In contrast to prototypical ferroelectrics in which long-range elastic strain dictates the domain structure, in SrBi2Nb2O9 the elastic term is insignificant, allowing dipole-dipole interactions and domain wall energies to dominate in determining the domain structure. Electron microscopy reveals ferroelectric domains that are irregularly shaped and highly curved. Out-of-phase boundary defects are shown to be weakly correlated with 90 degrees ferroelectric domain structure.
Zurbuchen
M A
MA
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16803-6602, USA. maz132@psu.edu
Asayama
G
G
Schlom
D G
DG
Streiffer
S K
SK