Domain switching in nanometer scale in bismuth-based relaxor solid solution

Abstract

Microscopic piezoresponse force microscopy observation in 0.9967(Na 1/2Bi1/2)TiO3(NBT)-0.0033BaTiO3(BT) rhombohedral (001) plate reveals two kinds of piezoresponse images, one with domain switching characterized with superior piezoresponsibility and the other without one, whereas macroscopic observation reveals non-switching of domain. Such microscopic remarkable difference of domain switching depends on coercive field caused by localized nucleation of domains with reversed polarization. Such coercive fields depend on relaxor states induced by random fields due to built-in charge disorder resulting from lattice defects at A-site and oxygen vacancies in ABO3 perovskite. The random fields based on lattice defects on {110} plane lower activation barrier for domain switching, leading to nucleation and growth of domains, while for non-switching of domains, oxygen vacancies on {110} and/or {001} plane play a role as clamping center for restriction of domain switching. © 2011 Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.