Ordered 180 ferroelectric domains in epitaxial submicron structures

Abstract

Large range ordered La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 and SrRuO3 epitaxial dots were fabricated by pulsed laser deposition using stencil masks and were embedded in ferroelectric PbTiO3 epitaxial films. PbTiO3 films grown on top of La0.7Sr 0.3MnO3 dots form arrays of 180 domains that are switchable and have good ferroelectric properties. PbTiO3 films made on top of SrRuO3 dots have a monodomain polarization state. These observations point out the importance of the electronic properties of the bottom electrode in the selection of a preferential polarization state in epitaxial ferroelectric films and propose a route of fabricating large arrays of switchable 180 ferroelectric domains. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.