Low-Symmetry Monoclinic Phases and Polarization Rotation Path Mediated By Epitaxial Strain in Multiferroic BiFeO3 Thin Films

Abstract

A morphotropic phase boundary driven by epitaxial strain has been observed in a lead-free multiferroic BiFeO3 thin films and the strain-driven phase transitions were widely reported to be iso-symmetric Cc-Cc ones by recent works. In this paper, we suggest that the tetragonal-like BiFeO3 phase identified in epitaxial films on (001) LaAlO3 single crystal substrates is monoclinic MC. This MC phase is different from MA type monoclinic phase reported in BiFeO3 films grown on low mismatch substrates, such as SrTiO3. This is confirmed not only by synchrotron x-ray studies but also by piezoresponse force microscopy measurements. The polarization vectors of the tetragonal-like phase lie in the (100) plane, not the (110) plane as previously reported. A phenomenological analysis was proposed to explain the formation of MC Phase. Such a low symmetry MC phase, with its linkage to MA phase and the multiphase coexistence open an avenue for large piezoelectric response in BiFeO3 films and shed light on a complete understanding towards possible polarization rotation paths and enhanced multiferroicity in BiFeO3 films mediated by epitaxial strain. This work may also aid the understanding of developing new lead-free strain-driven morphotropic phase boundary in other ferroic systems.

22 pages,Submitted to Advanced Functional Materials on Sep,7,2010, accepted on Oct,27,2010

References in corpus (14)

• A monoclinic ferroelectric phase in the Pb(Zr1-xTix)O3 solid solution
• Phase diagram of the ferroelectric-relaxor (1-x)PbMg(1/3)Nb(2/3)O3-xPbTiO3
• Polarization rotation via a monoclinic phase in the piezoelectric 92%PbZn1/3Nb2/3O3-8%PbTiO3
• Monoclinic and triclinic phases in higher-order Devonshire theory
• Effect of epitaxial strain on the spontaneous polarization of thin film ferroelectrics
• Combinatorial discovery of a lead-free morphotropic phase boundary in a thin-film piezoelectric perovskite
• Strain-induced isosymmetric phase transition in BiFeO3
• X-ray and Neutron Diffraction Investigations of the Structural Phase Transformation Sequence under Electric Field in 0.7Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)-0.3PbTiO3 Crystals
• Nanoscale switching characteristics of nearly tetragonal BiFeO3 thin films
• Domain structure in the monoclinic Pm phase of Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3 - PbTiO3 single crystals
• Ab initio Evidence for Giant Magnetoelectric Responses Driven by Structural Softness
• Magnetoelectric response of multiferroic BiFeO3 and related materials
• Tuning the atomic and domain structure of epitaxial films of multiferroic BiFeO3
• Nanoscale domains in strained epitaxial BiFeO3 thin Films on LaSrAlO4 Substrate

Cited by in corpus (26)

• Structure and properties of functional oxide thin films: Insights from electronic-structure calculations
• Stress-induced R-MA-MC-T symmetry changes in BiFeO3 films
• First-principles predictions of low-energy phases of multiferroic BiFeO3
• A multiferroic on the brink: uncovering the nuances of strain-induced transitions in BiFeO${}_3$
• Coexistence of Ferroelectric Triclinic Phases and Origin of Large Piezoelectric Responses in Highly Strained BiFeO3 films
• A Nanoscale Shape Memory Oxide
• Strain and Magnetic Field Induced Spin-Structure Transitions in Multiferroic BiFeO3
• Temperature and thickness evolution and epitaxial breakdown in highly-strained BiFeO3 thin films
• Antiferromagnetic transitions in `T-like' BiFeO3
• Study of strain effect on in-plane polarization in epitaxial BiFeO3 thin films using planar electrodes
• Phase transition close to room temperature in BiFeO3 thin films
• Temperature Driven Structural Phase Transition in Tetragonal-Like BiFeO3
• Large tensile strain induced monoclinic MB phase in BiFeO3 epitaxial thin films on PrScO3 substrate
• Strain engineering of epitaxial oxide heterostructures beyond substrate limitations
• Anisotropic optical properties of rhombohedral and tetragonal thin film BiFeO${}_3$ phases
• Domain and Phase De-strain - Formation of Ferroelastic Domain Structures
• Controllable Defect Driven Symmetry Change and Domain Structure Evolution in BiFeO3 with Enhanced Tetragonality
• Structural study in Highly Compressed BiFeO3 Epitaxial Thin Films on YAlO3
• Single-axis dependent structural and multiferroic properties of orthorhombic RMnO${}_3$ (R = Gd - Lu)
• Periodic elastic nanodomains in ultrathin tetrogonal-like BiFeO3 films
• Nanosecond Optically Induced Phase Transformation in Compressively Strained BiFeO3 on LaAlO3
• Engineering Polarization Rotation in Ferroelectric Bismuth Titanate
• Domain tuning in mixed-phase BiFeO3 thin films using vicinal substrates
• Temperature-driven evolution of hierarchical nanodomain structure in tetragonal-like BiFeO3 films
• Stability and low-energy orientations of interphase boundaries in multiaxial ferroelectrics: Phase-field simulations
• Microscopic origin of pressure-induced isosymmetric transitions in fluoromanganate cryolites