Atomic Origins of Enhanced Ferroelectricity in Nanocolumnar PbTiO3/PbO Composite Thin Films

Li, Mengsha1,2; Chen, Pingfan1,3; Zhang, Yingli4,5; Zhang, Yuan4,5; Liu, Zhenghao4,5; Tang, Chunhua1; Chung, Jing Yang1; Gu, Mingqiang6; Li, Junxue6; Huang, Zhen3,7,8; Chow, Gan Moog1; Li, Changjian4,5; Pennycook, Stephen J.1

2023

10.1002/smll.202203201

SMALL   Impact Factor & Quartile

1613-6810

1613-6829

Nanocomposite films hold great promise for multifunctional devices by integrating different functionalities within a single film. The microstructure of the precipitate/secondary phase is an essential element in designing composites' properties. The interphase strain between the matrix and secondary phase is responsible for strain-mediated functionalities, such as magnetoelectric coupling and ferroelectricity. However, a quantitative microstructure-dependent interphase strain characterization has been scarcely studied. Here, it is demonstrated that the PbTiO3(PTO)/PbO composite system can be prepared in nano-spherical and nanocolumnar configurations by tuning the misfit strain, confirmed by a three-dimensional reconstructive microscopy technique. With the atomic resolution quantitative microscopy with a depth resolution of a few nanometers, it is discovered that the strained region in PTO is much larger and more uniform in nanocolumnar compared to nano-spherical composites, resulting in much enhanced ferroelectric properties. The interphase strain between PbO and PTO in the nanocolumnar structure leads to a giant c/a ratio of 1.20 (bulk value of 1.06), accompanied by a Ti polarization displacement of 0.48 angstrom and an effective ferroelectric polarization of 241.7 mu C cm(-2), three times compared to the bulk value. The quantitative atomic-scale strain and polarization analysis on the interphase strain provides an important guideline for designing ferroelectric nanocomposites.

atomic resolution STEM ferroelectricity giant tetragonality nanocolumnar composite films three-dimensional reconstructive microscopy

SCI

English

Corresponding

Lee Kuan Yew Postdoctoral Fellowship through MOE Tier 1[R-284-000-158-114] ; NSFC[52172115] ; Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Fundation[2022A1515010762] ; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory Program[2021B1212040001] ; Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Provincial Department of Education Innovation Team Program[2021KCXTD012] ; MOE Tier 2[MOE2018-T2-1-019.]

Chemistry ; Science & Technology - Other Topics ; Materials Science ; Physics

Chemistry, Multidisciplinary ; Chemistry, Physical ; Nanoscience & Nanotechnology ; Materials Science, Multidisciplinary ; Physics, Applied ; Physics, Condensed Matter

WOS:000906700500001

WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH

Web of Science

1.Natl Univ Singapore, Dept Mat Sci & Engn, Singapore 117575, Singapore
2.Univ Toronto, Dept Mat Sci & Engn, Toronto, ON M5S 3E4, Canada
3.Anhui Univ, Inst Phys Sci & Informat Technol, Informat Mat & Intelligent Sensing Lab Anhui Prov, Hefei 230601, Anhui, Peoples R China
4.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Mat Sci & Engn, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, Peoples R China
5.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Guangdong Prov Key Lab Funct Oxide Mat & Devices, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, Peoples R China
6.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Phys, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, Peoples R China
7.Natl Univ Singapore, NUSNNI Nanocore, Singapore 117411, Singapore
8.Anhui Univ, Stony Brook Inst, Hefei 230039, Anhui, Peoples R China

Li, Mengsha,Chen, Pingfan,Zhang, Yingli,et al. Atomic Origins of Enhanced Ferroelectricity in Nanocolumnar PbTiO3/PbO Composite Thin Films[J]. SMALL,2023.

Li, Mengsha.,Chen, Pingfan.,Zhang, Yingli.,Zhang, Yuan.,Liu, Zhenghao.,...&Pennycook, Stephen J..(2023).Atomic Origins of Enhanced Ferroelectricity in Nanocolumnar PbTiO3/PbO Composite Thin Films.SMALL.

Li, Mengsha,et al."Atomic Origins of Enhanced Ferroelectricity in Nanocolumnar PbTiO3/PbO Composite Thin Films".SMALL (2023).