title: Strain-induced coupling of electrical polarization and structural defects in SrMnO3 films.
abstract: Local perturbations in complex oxides, such as domain walls, strain and defects, are of interest because they can modify the conduction or the dielectric and magnetic response, and can even promote phase transitions. Here, we show that the interaction between different types of local perturbations in oxide thin films is an additional source of functionality. Taking SrMnO3 as a model system, we use nonlinear optics to verify the theoretical prediction that strain induces a polar phase, and apply density functional theory to show that strain simultaneously increases the concentration of oxygen vacancies. These vacancies couple to the polar domain walls, where they establish an electrostatic barrier to electron migration. The result is a state with locally structured room-temperature conductivity consisting of conducting nanosized polar domains encased by insulating domain boundaries, which we resolve using scanning probe microscopy. Our 'nanocapacitor' domains can be individually charged, suggesting stable capacitance nanobits with a potential for information storage technology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Becher
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragón, Universidad de Zaragoza, C/ Mariano Esquillor, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maurel
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Aschauer
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lilienblum
authors.affiliation: 1] Laboratorio de Microscopías Avanzadas, Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragón - ARAID, C/ Mariano Esquillor, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain [2] Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Zaragoza, C/ Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: César
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Magén
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragón, Universidad de Zaragoza, C/ Mariano Esquillor, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Langenberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Morgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trassin
authors.affiliation: 1] Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Zaragoza, C/ Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain [2] Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragón, Universidad de Zaragoza - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, C/ Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blasco
authors.affiliation: Forschungszentrum Jülich, Peter-Grünberg-Institut (PGI-6), Leo-Brandt-Straße, 52425 Jülich, Germany.
authors.forename: Ingo P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Krug
authors.affiliation: 1] Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Zaragoza, C/ Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain [2] Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragón, Universidad de Zaragoza - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, C/ Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Pedro A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Algarabel
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nicola A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Spaldin
authors.affiliation: 1] Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragón, Universidad de Zaragoza, C/ Mariano Esquillor, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain [2] Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales y Fluidos, Universidad de Zaragoza, C/ María de Luna 3, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: José A
authors.identifier: 0000000201118284
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pardo
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fiebig