Peculiar domain states of cylindrical BaTiO₃ nanorods embedded in SrTiO₃ matrix

Abstract

Recent analysis based on the generalized Ginzburg–Landau–Devonshire model and phase-field approach predicts the formation of a simple quadruplet domain configuration in BaTiO₃ nanorods embedded in epitaxial SrTiO₃ film. This quadruplet configuration can have three inequivalent variants, differing by the arrangement of the out-of-plane polarization components: uniform orientation in whole nanorod, ‘up–down–up–down’ arrangement, or ‘up–up–down–down’ arrangement. In the present study, the phase-field simulations are employed to study the temporal evolution of the ‘up–down–up–down’ quadruplet domain configuration of 40-nm diameter nanorods under the out-of-plane electric field applied in a finite area within one of the four domains. We have found that this perturbation may lead to the formation of still another, six-domain arrangement, stable at zero-applied field, which is energetically more favorable than the ‘up–down–up–down’ arrangement.

Keywords:

• Ginzburg–Landau–Devonshire model
• phase-field
• BaTiO₃ ferroelectric nanorods

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic (GACR) [grant number P204/12/0232].