Tailoring photostriction via superlattices engineering

TL;DR

This study uses first-principles calculations to explore how superlattice engineering can control light-induced mechanical deformation, revealing tunable positive or negative photostriction for potential optomechanical applications.

Contribution

It demonstrates that superlattice architecture allows precise control over photostriction, introducing a simple analytical model to predict deformation behavior based on chemical periodicity.

Findings

Photostriction varies with superlattice period n.

Positive or negative photostriction can be induced by changing n.

Superlattice structures enable design of novel optomechanical devices.

Abstract

We report systematic first-principles investigation of light-induced mechanical deformations in monodomain (PbTiO$_{3}$)$_{n}$/(SrTiO$_{3}$)$_{n}$ superlattices ($n=1-5$). We reveal that photostriction in these heterostructures quantitatively and qualitatively depends on the chemical period $n$. Specifically, we show that by changing the chemical period, we can induce $\textit {positive}$ or $\textit {negative}$ photostriction. We also present a simple analytical model to account for the calculated deformations. Our findings indicate that superlattices architectures may be key to design novel optomechanical applications.