Stability of heterophase nanostructure and field induced response of epitaxial ferroelectric films

Abstract

The concept of elastic domains is extended to heterophase ferroelectric epitaxial films undergoing phase transformation. Equilibrium nanostructure of ferroelectric phases forming heterophase polydomains, including their relative domain fraction, the distortion of phases, and the orientation of domain interfaces, is determined. The enhanced field induced response of polydomain nanostructures to external field due to domain interface movement is estimated. As an example, rhombohedral-tetragonal polydomain nanostructures in ferroelectric BiFeO3 film are considered. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.