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Title: Strain‐Driven Mixed‐Phase Domain Architectures and Topological Transitions in Pb 1− x Sr x TiO 3 Thin Films
Abstract

The potential for creating hierarchical domain structures, or mixtures of energetically degenerate phases with distinct patterns that can be modified continually, in ferroelectric thin films offers a pathway to control their mesoscale structure beyond lattice‐mismatch strain with a substrate. Here, it is demonstrated that varying the strontium content provides deterministic strain‐driven control of hierarchical domain structures in Pb1−xSrxTiO3 solid‐solution thin films wherein two types,c/aanda1/a2, of nanodomains can coexist. Combining phase‐field simulations, epitaxial thin‐film growth, detailed structural, domain, and physical‐property characterization, it is observed that the system undergoes a gradual transformation (with increasing strontium content) from droplet‐likea1/a2 domains in ac/adomain matrix, to a connected‐labyrinth geometry ofc/adomains, to a disconnected labyrinth structure of the same, and, finally, to droplet‐likec/adomains in ana1/a2 domain matrix. A relationship between the different mixed‐phase modulation patterns and its topological nature is established. Annealing the connected‐labyrinth structure leads to domain coarsening forming distinctive regions of parallelc/aanda1/a2 domain stripes, offering additional design flexibility. Finally, it is found that the connected‐labyrinth domain patterns exhibit the highest dielectric permittivity.

 
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NSF-PAR ID:
10371489
Author(s) / Creator(s):
 ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  
Publisher / Repository:
Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Advanced Materials
Volume:
34
Issue:
37
ISSN:
0935-9648
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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