Elastic anomalies associated with domain switching in BaTiO$_3$ single crystals under in-situ electrical cycling

TL;DR

This study uses in-situ Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy to investigate elastic and anelastic changes in BaTiO$_3$ single crystals during electric field cycling, revealing domain switching behaviors and ferroelastic effects.

Contribution

It demonstrates the effectiveness of RUS in monitoring electromechanical coupling and domain switching in ferroelectric crystals during electric cycling.

Findings

First ferroelectric switching is dominated by ferroelastic 90° switching.

Subsequent switching shows reduced ferroelastic switching due to domain pinning.

RUS effectively monitors electromechanical coupling in ferroelectrics.

Abstract

The elastic response of BaTiO$_3$ single crystals during electric field cycling at room temperature has been studied using in-situ Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy (RUS), which allows monitoring of both the elastic and anelastic changes caused by ferroelectric polarization switching. We find that the first ferroelectric switching of a virgin single crystal is dominated by ferroelastic 90{\deg} switching. In subsequent ferroelectric switching, ferroelastic switching is reduced by domain pinning and by the predominance of 180{\deg} ferroelectric domains, as confirmed by polarized light microscopy. RUS under in-situ electric field therefore demonstrates to be an effective technique for the investigation of electromechanical coupling in ferroelectrics.