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Ultrafast decoupling of polarization and strain in ferroelectric BaTiO3

Author

Listed:
  • Le Phuong Hoang

    (European XFEL
    Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter
    Kiel University)

  • David Pesquera

    (Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB)

  • Gerard N. Hinsley

    (Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY)

  • Robert Carley

    (European XFEL)

  • Laurent Mercadier

    (European XFEL)

  • Martin Teichmann

    (European XFEL)

  • Elena Martina Unterleutner

    (Graz University of Technology)

  • Daniel Knez

    (Graz University of Technology)

  • Martina Dienstleder

    (Graz Centre for Electron Microscopy (ZFE))

  • Saptam Ganguly

    (Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB)

  • Teguh Citra Asmara

    (European XFEL)

  • Giacomo Merzoni

    (European XFEL
    Politecnico di Milano)

  • Sergii Parchenko

    (European XFEL)

  • Justine Schlappa

    (European XFEL)

  • Zhong Yin

    (European XFEL
    Tohoku University)

  • José Manuel Caicedo Roque

    (Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB)

  • José Santiso

    (Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB)

  • Irena Spasojevic

    (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)

  • Cammille Carinan

    (European XFEL)

  • Tien-Lin Lee

    (Diamond Light Source Ltd.)

  • Kai Rossnagel

    (Kiel University
    Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY)

  • Jörg Zegenhagen

    (Diamond Light Source Ltd.)

  • Gustau Catalan

    (Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB
    Institut Català de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA))

  • Ivan A. Vartanyants

    (Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY)

  • Andreas Scherz

    (European XFEL)

  • Giuseppe Mercurio

    (European XFEL)

Abstract

A fundamental understanding of the interplay between lattice structure, polarization and electrons is pivotal to the optical control of ferroelectrics. The interaction between light and matter enables the remote and wireless control of the ferroelectric polarization on the picosecond timescale, while inducing strain, i.e., lattice deformation. At equilibrium, the ferroelectric polarization is proportional to the strain, and is typically assumed to be so also out of equilibrium. Decoupling the polarization from the strain would remove the constraint of sample design and provide an effective knob to manipulate the polarization by light. Here, upon above-bandgap laser excitation of the prototypical ferroelectric BaTiO3, we induce and measure an ultrafast decoupling between polarization and strain that begins within 350 fs, by softening Ti-O bonds via charge transfer, and lasts for several tens of picoseconds. We show that the ferroelectric polarization out of equilibrium is mainly determined by photoexcited electrons, instead of the strain.

Suggested Citation

  • Le Phuong Hoang & David Pesquera & Gerard N. Hinsley & Robert Carley & Laurent Mercadier & Martin Teichmann & Elena Martina Unterleutner & Daniel Knez & Martina Dienstleder & Saptam Ganguly & Teguh Ci, 2025. "Ultrafast decoupling of polarization and strain in ferroelectric BaTiO3," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-63045-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63045-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Y. M. Sheu & S. A. Trugman & L. Yan & Q. X. Jia & A. J. Taylor & R. P. Prasankumar, 2014. "Using ultrashort optical pulses to couple ferroelectric and ferromagnetic order in an oxide heterostructure," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-6, December.
    2. Tao Li & Alexey Lipatov & Haidong Lu & Hyungwoo Lee & Jung-Woo Lee & Engin Torun & Ludger Wirtz & Chang-Beom Eom & Jorge Íñiguez & Alexander Sinitskii & Alexei Gruverman, 2018. "Optical control of polarization in ferroelectric heterostructures," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-8, December.
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