Atomistic Structure of Transient Switching States in Ferroelectric AlScN

TL;DR

This study uncovers the microscopic mechanism of polarization switching in ferroelectric AlScN, revealing that observed transitional regions are projection artifacts and that switching occurs via atomic displacements influenced by Sc content.

Contribution

The paper combines advanced microscopy, simulations, and experiments to clarify the switching mechanism in AlScN, challenging previous interpretations of the intermediate phase.

Findings

Projection artifacts cause broad transitional regions in STEM images.

Switching involves collective atomic displacements along columns.

Increasing Sc content lowers domain wall energy and switching field.

Abstract

We resolve the microscopic mechanism of polarization switching in wurtzite ferroelectric AlScN by integrating advanced thin-film fabrication, ferroelectric switching dynamics characterizations, high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and large-scale molecular dynamics simulations enabled by a deep neural network-based interatomic potential. Contrary to earlier interpretations proposing a transient nonpolar intermediate phase, we demonstrate that the broad transitional regions previously observed in STEM images are projection artifacts resulting from the intrinsic three-dimensional zigzag morphology of 180$^\circ$ domain walls, which are a characteristic form of inversion domain boundary. This is further confirmed by STEM imaging of strategically prepared, partially switched Al$_{0.75}$Sc$_{0.25}$N thin films. Our simulations reveal that switching proceeds through collective, column-by-column atomic displacements, directly explaining the emergence of zigzag-shaped domain walls, and is consistent with the nucleation-limited switching behavior observed in experimental switching dynamic measurements. Furthermore, we show that increasing Sc content systematically lowers domain wall energy and associated nucleation barrier, thereby reducing the switching field in agreement with experimental trends. These findings establish a direct connection between local domain wall structure, switching kinetics, and macroscopic ferroelectric behavior.