In-plane Quasi-single-domain BaTiO₃ via Interfacial Symmetry Engineering

Authors

• J. W. Lee, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• K. Eom, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Tula R. Paudel, South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyFollow
• B. Wang, Pennsylvania State University
• Haidong Lu, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
• H. X. Huyan, University of California, Irvine
• S. Lindemann, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• S. Ryu, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• H. Lee, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• T. H. Kim, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Y. Yuan, Pennsylvania State University
• J. A. Zorn, Pennsylvania State University
• W. P. Gao, University of California, Irvine
• Thomas Tybell, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
• V. Gopalan, Pennsylvania State University
• X. Q. Pan, University of California, Irvine
• Alexei Gruverman, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
• L. Q. Chen, Pennsylvania State University
• Evgeny Y. Tsymbal, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
• Chang-Beom Eom, University of Wisconsin-MadisonFollow

ORCID IDs

K. Eom http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8114-609X

Paudel http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9952-9435

Wang http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3146-5559

Lu http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0580-0229

Yuan http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7384-9767

Tybell http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0787-8476

Gopalan http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6866-3677

Pan http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0965-8568

Gruverman http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0492-2750

Chen http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3359-3781

Tsymbal http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6728-5480

C.-B. Eom http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8854-1439

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2021

Citation

Nature Communications (2021) 12: 6784

doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-26660-7

Supplemental materials are available at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26660-7

Comments

Copyright 2021, the authors. Open access

License: CC BY 4.0 International

Abstract

The control of the in-plane domain evolution in ferroelectric thin films is not only critical to understanding ferroelectric phenomena but also to enabling functional device fabrication. However, in-plane polarized ferroelectric thin films typically exhibit complicated multidomain states, not desirable for optoelectronic device performance. Here we report a strategy combining interfacial symmetry engineering and anisotropic strain to design singledomain, in-plane polarized ferroelectric BaTiO₃ thin films. Theoretical calculations predict the key role of the BaTiO₃/PrScO₃ (110)_O substrate interfacial environment, where anisotropic strain, monoclinic distortions, and interfacial electrostatic potential stabilize a single-variant spontaneous polarization. A combination of scanning transmission electron microscopy, piezoresponse force microscopy, ferroelectric hysteresis loop measurements, and second harmonic generation measurements directly reveals the stabilization of the in-plane quasi-single-domain polarization state. This work offers design principles for engineering in-plane domains of ferroelectric oxide thin films, which is a prerequisite for high performance optoelectronic devices.