Conduction of topologically-protected charged ferroelectric domain walls

ORAL

Abstract

We report on the observation of nanoscale conduction at ferroelectric domain walls in hexagonal HoMnO$_3$ protected by the topology of multiferroic vortices using \textit{in situ} conductive atomic force microscopy, piezo-response force microscopy, and kelvin-probe force microscopy at low temperatures. Conductance spectra reveal that only negatively charged tail-to-tail walls, in contrast to positively charged head-to-head walls, exhibit ohmic-like conduction in addition to Schottky-like rectification. Our results pave the way for understanding the semiconducting properties of the domains and domain walls in small-gap ferroelectrics.

*NSF-DMR-0844807, NSF-DMR-1104484 and DE-AC02-06CH11357

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Authors

  • Weida Wu

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy and Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy and Rutgers Center for emergent materials, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA

  • Yoichi Horibe

    • Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy and Rutgers Center for emergent materials, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA

  • Nara Lee

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy and Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
    • Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
    • Rutgers University
    • Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University
    • Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Dept of Phys and Astronomy, Rutgers U., NJ, USA
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy and Rutgers Center for emergent materials, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA

  • S-W. Cheong

    • Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials
    • Rutgers University
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy and Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
    • Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
    • Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University
    • Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Dept of Phys and Astronomy, Rutgers U., NJ, USA
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy and Rutgers Center for emergent materials, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA

  • Jeffery Guest

    • Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
    • Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory
    • Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439 USA