Anisotropic conductivity of uncharged domain walls in BiFeO3

Abstract

Experimental observations suggest that nominally uncharged, as-grown domain walls in ferroelectric thin films can be conductive, yet comprehensive theoretical models to explain this behavior are lacking. Here, Landau theory is used to evolve an analytical treatment of the anisotropic carrier accumulation by nominally uncharged domain walls in multiferroic BiFeO3. Strong angular dependence of the carrier accumulation by 180-degree domain walls originates from local band bending via angle-dependent electrostriction and flexoelectric coupling mechanisms. Theoretical results are in qualitative agreement with experimental data, and provide a Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire counterpart that is consistent with recent first principles calculations. These studies suggest that a significantly more diverse range of domain wall structures could possess novel electronic properties than previously believed. Similarly, emergent electronic behaviors at ferroic walls are typically underpinned by multiple mechanisms, necessitating first-principle studies of corresponding coupling parameters.

37 pages, 8 figures, 4 tables

References in corpus (9)

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• Conduction at domain walls in insulating Pb(Zr${}_{0.2}$Ti${}_{0.8}$)O${}_3$ thin films
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• Domain wall conduction in multiaxial ferroelectrics

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• Electric Field Control of Three-Dimensional Vortex States in Core-Shell Ferroelectric Nanoparticles
• Mapping gradient-driven morphological phase transition at the conductive domain walls of strained multiferroic films
• Magnetic avalanche of non-oxide conductive domain walls
• Electron trapping by neutral pristine ferroelectric domain walls in BiFeO${}_3$
• Effective piezoelectric response of twin walls in ferroelectrics
• Flexo-Sensitive Polarization Vortices in Thin Ferroelectric Films
• Melting of Spatially Modulated Phases in La-doped BiFeO3 at Surfaces and Surface-Domain Wall Junctions
• Mesoscopic structure of mixed type domain walls in multiaxial ferroelectrics
• Intrinsic structural instabilities of domain walls driven by gradient couplings: meandering anferrodistortive-ferroelectric domain walls in BiFeO3