Minimum domain size and stability in carbon nanotube-ferroelectric devices

TL;DR

This study investigates ferroelectric domain switching in Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 thin films with carbon nanotube electrodes, revealing stable nanodomains as small as 9 nm that persist over 20 months, influenced by defect pinning.

Contribution

It demonstrates the ability to switch and stabilize extremely small ferroelectric domains using carbon nanotube electrodes, challenging existing size stability limits.

Findings

Nanodomains as small as 9 nm can be switched and remain stable for over 20 months.

Defect pinning significantly contributes to domain stability below thermodynamic size limits.

Carbon nanotubes enable precise control of ferroelectric domain sizes.

Abstract

Ferroelectric domain switching in c-axis-oriented epitaxial Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 thin films was studied using different field geometries and compared to numerical simulations and theoretical predictions. With carbon nanotubes as electrodes, continuous nanodomains as small as 9 nm in radius in a 270 nm thick film could be switched, remaining stable for over 20 months. Defect pinning of domain walls appears to play a key role in stabilizing such domains, below the predicted thermodynamic size limit.