Observation of Dipole Stripes and Domain Structure by Transmission Electron Microscope for BiFeO₃ Single Crystals

Abstract

The BiFeO₃ single crystals were grown in air in a Bi₂O₃/Fe₂O₃ flux. X-ray microanalysis, high resolution synchrotron radiation powder X-ray diffraction, and selected area electron diffraction pattern showed that these single crystals are high quality and exhibit a rhombohedral R3c structure. The dipole stripes and the complex domains of spontaneous ferroelectric polarization had been observed for the first time using HRTEM technique. This work will facilitate intuitive understanding of the atomic scale spontaneous ferroelectric polarization domain structure and of the impact of defects and oxygen vacancies on magnetic and dielectric properties.

Keywords:

• Bismuth ferrite crystal
• dipole stripes
• domain structure

Acknowledgments

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC, No. 10774097, No. 10674029), the Science & Technology Committee of Shanghai Municipality (No. 08di1400202, 07JC14022), and the Science and Technology Innovation Fund of Shanghai Education Committee(No. 09ZZ95).