Microwave Conductivity of Ferroelectric Domain Walls in BiFeO3 Bulk Crystals
ORAL
Abstract
Domain walls (DWs) in multiferroic materials exhibit novel functionalities that may be utilized for nanoelectronic applications. In recent years, the enhanced DW dc conductivity due to the accumulation of free carriers and ac conductivity due to the excitation of wall vibration have both been reported in various ferroelectrics. Combining piezo-force microscopy and microwave impedance microscopy, we directly probe the nanoscale dielectric response of various DWs in BiFeO3 bulk crystals at microwave frequencies. Interestingly, regardless of the type of the walls (71-, 109-, or 180-degree), the neutral DWs always display high ac conductivity around 1 GHz, whereas the charged walls do not. In addition, interference of surface acoustic waves can be observed near the 180-degree walls. Our results provide a unified picture to understand the DW dynamics in BiFeO3, which is crucial for its application in high-speed nano-devices.
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Presenters
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Lu Zheng
- University of Texas at Austin