Negative-pressure-induced enhancement in a freestanding ferroelectric

It is shown that a phase change to a denser crystal structure in PbTiO 3 nanowires creates a negative-pressure stress state, which is effective in enhancing ferroelectric performance. Ferroelectrics are widespread in technology 1 , being used in electronics and communications 2 , medical diagnostics...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature materials 2015-10, Vol.14 (10), p.985-990
Main Authors: Wang, Jin, Wylie-van Eerd, Ben, Sluka, Tomas, Sandu, Cosmin, Cantoni, Marco, Wei, Xian-Kui, Kvasov, Alexander, McGilly, Leo John, Gemeiner, Pascale, Dkhil, Brahim, Tagantsev, Alexander, Trodahl, Joe, Setter, Nava
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
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Automation
Biomaterials
Compressive properties
Condensed Matter
Condensed Matter Physics
Electric properties
Electronics
Ferroelectric materials
Ferroelectricity
Ferroelectrics
Hydrostatics
letter
Materials Science
Nanotechnology
Optical and Electronic Materials
Perovskite
Perovskites
Physics
Tensile stress
Thin films
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Summary:It is shown that a phase change to a denser crystal structure in PbTiO 3 nanowires creates a negative-pressure stress state, which is effective in enhancing ferroelectric performance. Ferroelectrics are widespread in technology 1 , being used in electronics and communications 2 , medical diagnostics and industrial automation. However, extension of their operational temperature range and useful properties is desired 3 , 4 , 5 . Recent developments have exploited ultrathin epitaxial films on lattice-mismatched substrates, imposing tensile or compressive biaxial strain, to enhance ferroelectric properties 6 , 7 . Much larger hydrostatic compression can be achieved by diamond anvil cells 8 , 9 , but hydrostatic tensile stress is regarded as unachievable. Theory and ab initio treatments 10 predict enhanced properties for perovskite ferroelectrics under hydrostatic tensile stress. Here we report negative-pressure-driven enhancement of the tetragonality, Curie temperature and spontaneous polarization in freestanding PbTiO 3 nanowires, driven by stress that develops during transformation of the material from a lower-density crystal structure to the perovskite phase. This study suggests a simple route to obtain negative pressure in other materials, potentially extending their exploitable properties beyond their present levels.
ISSN:1476-1122
1476-4660
DOI:10.1038/nmat4365