Electric-field-controlled directional growth of ferroelectric domains in multiferroic BiFeO3 films

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that a strain gradient in BiFeO3 thin films can direct ferroelectric domain growth under an electric field, enabling controlled domain orientation for potential device applications.

Contribution

It reveals how strain gradients induce directional ferroelectric domain growth in multiferroic BiFeO3 films, a novel method for controlling ferroelectric domain orientation.

Findings

Strain gradient causes symmetry breaking in ferroelectric potential.

Electric field directs ferroelectric domain growth.

Controlled domain orientation achieved via strain engineering.

Abstract

We describe the directional growth of ferroelectric domains in a multiferroic BiFeO3 thin film, which was grown epitaxially on a vicinal (001) SrTiO3 substrate. A detailed structural analysis of the film shows that a strain gradient, which can create a symmetry breaking in a ferroelectric double well potential, causes ferroelectric domains to grow with preferred directionality under the influence of an electric field. Our results suggest the possibility of controlling the direction of domain growth with an electric field by imposing constraints on ferroelectric films, such as a strain gradient.