Optically Induced Nanoscale Domain Transformation in Low-Strain BaTiO<sub>3</sub> Thin Films

ORAL

Abstract

Above-bandgap ultrafast optical excitation provides the means to extend the current state of understanding of polarization domain phenomena and the relationship between electronic dynamics and mesoscale transformation. We report a time-resolved synchrotron x-ray diffraction study of a BaTiO3 film grown on a NdScO3 substrate in which an optically induced domain transformation is observed. The key experimental feature is an optically induced change in the intensities and reciprocal space positions of the diffuse scattering patterns arising from aa*/ca* and ca1/ca2 domain configurations. Following above-bandgap optical excitation, the diffuse scattering intensity of the aa*/ca* domains increases within 1 ns while that of the ca1/ca2 domains decreases. The change in intensities indicates a transformation from the ca1/ca2 to the aa*/ca* domain configuration. The transformation is accompanied by polarization rotation toward the out-of-plane direction, which has the same time dependence as the intensity variation. The degree of the polarization rotation varies depending on the optical fluence and is different for the two domain configurations. The results show that the mechanism of the domain transformation is associated with the polarization rotation induced by the optical excitation.

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Presenters

  • Youngjun Ahn

    • Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
    • Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Authors

  • Youngjun Ahn

    • Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
    • Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison

  • Anastasios Pateras

    • Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA

  • Hyeonjun Lee

    • Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
    • Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison

  • Joonkyu Park

    • Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA

  • Silvia Damerio

    • Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands

  • Arnoud Everhardt

    • Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
    • Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    • Materials Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    • Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands

  • Anthony DiChiara

    • Argonne National Labs
    • Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
    • argonne natioal lab

  • Haidan Wen

    • Argonne National Laboratory
    • Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
    • X-ray Science Division,, Argonne National Laboratory

  • Beatriz Noheda

    • Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen
    • Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
    • University of Groningen

  • Paul G Evans

    • Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
    • Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA