Ferroelectric domain switching of individual nanoscale grains in polycrystalline lead zirconate titanate thin films

Yuanyuan Jing, Purdue University

Abstract

This thesis will focus on the switching behavior of nanoscale ferroelectric domains in polycrystalline thin films. Ferroelectrics are a class of dielectric materials that demonstrate spontaneous polarizations under zero applied electric field. A region with the same polarization is called a ferroelectric domain. One important attribute of ferroelectrics is the domain switching from one thermodynamically stable state to another by application of an external electric field. Ferroelectric domain switching has been intensively investigated in epitaxial thin films. However, little is known about the domain switching in polycrystalline thin films. The main reason is that each grain is differently orientated and each is in a unique local stress and electric field determined by neighboring grains. To understand and deterministically control the nanoscale domain switching in polycrystalline thin films, it's critical to experimentally identify the effect of local microstructure (grain orientation and grain boundary misorientation) on the individual grain switching behavior. In this thesis, the effect of local microstructure on domain switching has been quantitatively analyzed in a 100 nm thick polycrystalline PbZr 0.2Ti0.8O3 thin film. The ferroelectric domains are characterized by Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM), with their switching behavior analyzed by Polarization Difference Maps (PDMs, an analytical technique developed in this work). The local microstructure is determined by Electron Back Scattering Diffraction (EBSD). The results are discussed in chapter 3 to 6. Chapter 3 introduces the PDMs technique that enables the rapid identification of 0o, 90o switching and 180o switching in polycrystalline thin films. By assigning different colors to different types of switching, the full nature of polarization switching can be visualized simultaneously for large number of domains or grains in one map. In chapter 4, an external electric field reversal experiment has been carried out in a polycrystalline PZT thin film. Using PDMs, 90° switching of individual grains is identified in addition to the expected 180° switching. What is noteworthy is that a significant number of grains undergo 90° switching in both switching and relaxation processes, a striking contrast with epitaxial thin films where only 180o switching have been reported. In chapter 5, the reason that a large amount of 90o switching occurred in a polycrystalline thin film is studied by experimentally characterizing the local microstructure. The preliminary results show a direct correlation between the crystal orientation of a chosen grain and its switching type, indicating that the switching of a grain is dominated by its orientation. For a minority of the grains, however, the neighboring grain should play a dominant role. The effects of neighboring grains on the center grain switching are studied in chapter 6. Switching loops are carried out at different positions within individual grains. A correlation across grain boundaries in the coercive bias was observed for almost all measured grain boundaries. Even inside the same grain, different grain boundaries can either facilitate or hinder the switching, depending on the grain boundary misorientation. Future work is discussed in chapter 7, including the non-deterministic domain switching in polycrystalline thin films, the influence of electron beams on the domain switching behavior, and the domain relaxation through 90o switching. In conclusion, a large fraction of 90o switching is found in a polycrystalline PZT thin film. The switching of an individual grain is found to be mainly determined by the grain orientation and the grain boundary misorientations. Grains orientated close to the [001] direction are more likely to go through a 90o switching than a 180o switching. Grain boundaries with different misorientation angles tend to either hinder or facilitate the switching of grains on both sides.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Blendell, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Materials science

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