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Ievlev AV, Kc S, Vasudevan RK, Kim Y, Lu X, Alexe M, Cooper VR, Kalinin SV, Ovchinnikova OS. Non-conventional mechanism of ferroelectric fatigue via cation migration. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3064. [PMID: 31296880 PMCID: PMC6624312 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11089-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The unique properties of ferroelectric materials enable a plethora of applications, which are hindered by the phenomenon known as ferroelectric fatigue that leads to the degradation of ferroelectric properties with polarization cycling. Multiple microscopic models explaining fatigue have been suggested; however, the chemical origins remain poorly understood. Here, we utilize multimodal chemical imaging that combines atomic force microscopy with time-of-flight secondary mass spectrometry to explore the chemical phenomena associated with fatigue in PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 (PZT) thin films. Investigations reveal that the degradation of ferroelectric properties is correlated with a local chemical change and migration of electrode ions into the PZT structure. Density functional theory simulations support the experimental results and demonstrate stable doping of the thin surface PZT layer with copper ions, leading to a decrease in the spontaneous polarization. Overall, the performed research allows for the observation and understanding of the chemical phenomena associated with polarization cycling and their effects on ferroelectric functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton V Ievlev
- The Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA.
| | - Santosh Kc
- Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Rama K Vasudevan
- The Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Yunseok Kim
- School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Xiaoli Lu
- The State Key Discipline Laboratory of Wide Band Gap Semiconductor Technology, Xidian University, 710071, Xi'an, China
| | - Marin Alexe
- Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Valentino R Cooper
- Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Sergei V Kalinin
- The Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Olga S Ovchinnikova
- The Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA.
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