Hexagonal Close-Packed Polar-Skyrmion Lattice in Ultrathin Ferroelectric PbTiO3 Films

Yuan, Shuai1,2; Chen, Zuhuang1,2; Prokhorenko, Sergei3,4; Nahas, Yousra3,4; Bellaiche, Laurent3,4; Liu, Chenhan5; Xu, Bin6,7; Chen, Lang8; Das, Sujit9; Martin, Lane W.10,11

2023-05-31

10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.226801

PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS   Impact Factor & Quartile

0031-9007

1079-7114

Polar skyrmions are topologically stable, swirling polarization textures with particlelike characteristics, which hold promise for next-generation, nanoscale logic and memory. However, the understanding of how to create ordered polar skyrmion lattice structures and how such structures respond to applied electric fields, temperature, and film thickness remains elusive. Here, using phase-field simulations, the evolution of polar topology and the emergence of a phase transition to a hexagonal close-packed skyrmion lattice is explored through the construction of a temperature-electric field phase diagram for ultrathin ferroelectric PbTiO3 films. The hexagonal-lattice skyrmion crystal can be stabilized under application of an external, out-of-plane electric field which carefully adjusts the delicate interplay of elastic, electrostatic, and gradient energies. In addition, the lattice constants of the polar skyrmion crystals are found to increase with film thickness, consistent with expectation from Kittel's law. Our studies pave the way for the development of novel ordered condensed matter phases assembled from topological polar textures and related emergent properties in nanoscale ferroelectrics.

SCI

English

NI Journal Papers

Others

Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation[2020B1515020029] ; Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation project[JCYJ20200109112829287] ; Shenzhen Science and Technology Program[KQTD20200820113045083] ; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities[HIT.OCEF.2022038] ; " Talent Recruitment Project of Guangdong "[2019QN01C202] ; China Postdoctoral Science Foundation[DB24407028] ; Guangxi Science and Technology Program[AD20159059] ; Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship (VBFF) from the Department of Defense[N00014-20-1-2834] ; Army Research Office under the ETHOS MURI[W911NF-21-2-0162] ; National Natural Science Foundation of China[12074277] ; Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province[BK20210565] ; Science and Engineering Research Board[SRG/2022/000058] ; Army Research Office[W911NF-21-2-0162]

Physics

Physics, Multidisciplinary

WOS:001016854600020

AMER PHYSICAL SOC

PHYSICS

Web of Science

1.Harbin Inst Technol, Sch Mat Sci & Engn, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China
2.Harbin Inst Technol, Flexible Printed Elect Technol Ctr, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China
3.Univ Arkansas, Phys Dept, Fayetteville, AR 72701 USA
4.Univ Arkansas, Inst Nanosci & Engn, Fayetteville, AR 72701 USA
5.Nanjing Normal Univ, Sch Energy & Mech Engn, Microand Nanoscale Thermal Measurement & Thermal M, Nanjing 210046, Peoples R China
6.Soochow Univ, Inst Theoret & Appl Phys, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu, Peoples R China
7.Soochow Univ, Sch Phys Sci & Technol, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu, Peoples R China
8.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Phys, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China
9.Indian Inst Sci, Mat Res Ctr, Bangalore 560012, India
10.Univ Calif Berkeley, Dept Mat Sci & Engn, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
11.Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab, Mat Sci Div, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA

Yuan, Shuai,Chen, Zuhuang,Prokhorenko, Sergei,et al. Hexagonal Close-Packed Polar-Skyrmion Lattice in Ultrathin Ferroelectric PbTiO3 Films[J]. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS,2023,130(22).

Yuan, Shuai.,Chen, Zuhuang.,Prokhorenko, Sergei.,Nahas, Yousra.,Bellaiche, Laurent.,...&Martin, Lane W..(2023).Hexagonal Close-Packed Polar-Skyrmion Lattice in Ultrathin Ferroelectric PbTiO3 Films.PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS,130(22).

Yuan, Shuai,et al."Hexagonal Close-Packed Polar-Skyrmion Lattice in Ultrathin Ferroelectric PbTiO3 Films".PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 130.22(2023).