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Inverse transition of labyrinthine domain patterns in ferroelectric thin films

Author

Listed:
  • Y. Nahas

    (University of Arkansas)

  • S. Prokhorenko

    (University of Arkansas)

  • J. Fischer

    (Université Paris-Saclay)

  • B. Xu

    (Soochow University)

  • C. Carrétéro

    (Université Paris-Saclay)

  • S. Prosandeev

    (University of Arkansas
    Southern Federal University)

  • M. Bibes

    (Université Paris-Saclay)

  • S. Fusil

    (Université Paris-Saclay
    Université Paris-Saclay)

  • B. Dkhil

    (Laboratoire Structures, Propriétés et Modélisation des Solides, CentraleSupélec, UMR CNRS 8580, Université Paris-Saclay)

  • V. Garcia

    (Université Paris-Saclay)

  • L. Bellaiche

    (University of Arkansas)

Abstract

Phase separation is a cooperative process, the kinetics of which underpin the orderly morphogenesis of domain patterns on mesoscopic scales1,2. Systems of highly degenerate frozen states may exhibit the rare and counterintuitive inverse-symmetry-breaking phenomenon3. Proposed a century ago4, inverse transitions have been found experimentally in disparate materials, ranging from polymeric and colloidal compounds to high-transition-temperature superconductors, proteins, ultrathin magnetic films, liquid crystals and metallic alloys5,6, with the notable exception of ferroelectric oxides, despite extensive theoretical and experimental work on the latter. Here we show that following a subcritical quench, the non-equilibrium self-assembly of ferroelectric domains in ultrathin films of Pb(Zr0.4Ti0.6)O3 results in a maze, or labyrinthine pattern, featuring meandering stripe domains. Furthermore, upon increasing the temperature, this highly degenerate labyrinthine phase undergoes an inverse transition whereby it transforms into the less-symmetric parallel-stripe domain structure, before the onset of paraelectricity at higher temperatures. We find that this phase sequence can be ascribed to an enhanced entropic contribution of domain walls, and that domain straightening and coarsening is predominantly driven by the relaxation and diffusion of topological defects. Computational modelling and experimental observation of the inverse dipolar transition in BiFeO3 suggest the universality of the phenomenon in ferroelectric oxides. The multitude of self-patterned states and the various topological defects that they embody may be used beyond current domain and domain-wall-based7 technologies by enabling fundamentally new design principles and topologically enhanced functionalities within ferroelectric films.

Suggested Citation

  • Y. Nahas & S. Prokhorenko & J. Fischer & B. Xu & C. Carrétéro & S. Prosandeev & M. Bibes & S. Fusil & B. Dkhil & V. Garcia & L. Bellaiche, 2020. "Inverse transition of labyrinthine domain patterns in ferroelectric thin films," Nature, Nature, vol. 577(7788), pages 47-51, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:577:y:2020:i:7788:d:10.1038_s41586-019-1845-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1845-4
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Feng-Hui Gong & Yun-Long Tang & Yu-Jia Wang & Yu-Ting Chen & Bo Wu & Li-Xin Yang & Yin-Lian Zhu & Xiu-Liang Ma, 2023. "Absence of critical thickness for polar skyrmions with breaking the Kittel’s law," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Guangdi Feng & Qiuxiang Zhu & Xuefeng Liu & Luqiu Chen & Xiaoming Zhao & Jianquan Liu & Shaobing Xiong & Kexiang Shan & Zhenzhong Yang & Qinye Bao & Fangyu Yue & Hui Peng & Rong Huang & Xiaodong Tang , 2024. "A ferroelectric fin diode for robust non-volatile memory," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Wei Luo & Alireza Akbarzadeh & Yousra Nahas & Sergei Prokhorenko & Laurent Bellaiche, 2023. "Quantum criticality at cryogenic melting of polar bubble lattices," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.
    4. S. Prokhorenko & Y. Nahas & V. Govinden & Q. Zhang & N. Valanoor & L. Bellaiche, 2024. "Motion and teleportation of polar bubbles in low-dimensional ferroelectrics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Yu-Tsun Shao & Sujit Das & Zijian Hong & Ruijuan Xu & Swathi Chandrika & Fernando Gómez-Ortiz & Pablo García-Fernández & Long-Qing Chen & Harold Y. Hwang & Javier Junquera & Lane W. Martin & Ramamoort, 2023. "Emergent chirality in a polar meron to skyrmion phase transition," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.

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