Polar-Graded Multiferroic SrMnO3 Thin Films

Guzmán, Roger ; Maurel, Laura (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Langenberg, Eric ; Lupini, Andrew R. ; Algarabel, Pedro A. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Pardo, José A. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Magén, César (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: Engineering defects and strains in oxides provides a promising route for the quest of thin film materials with coexisting ferroic orders, multiferroics, with efficient magnetoelectric coupling at room temperature. Precise control of the strain gradient would enable custom tailoring of the multiferroic properties but presently remains challenging. Here we explore the existence of a polar-graded state in epitaxially strained antiferromagnetic SrMnO3 thin films, whose polar nature was predicted theoretically and recently demonstrated experimentally. By means of aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy we map the polar rotation of the ferroelectric polarization with atomic resolution, both far from and near the domain walls, and find flexoelectricity resulting from vertical strain gradients. The origin of this particular strain state is a gradual distribution of oxygen vacancies across the film thickness, according to electron energy loss spectroscopy. Herein we present a chemistry-mediated route to induce polar rotations in oxygen-deficient multiferroic films, resulting in flexoelectric polar rotations and with potentially enhanced piezoelectricity.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b04455

Año: 2016

Publicado en: Nano Letters 16, 4 (2016), 2221-2227
ISSN: 1530-6984

Factor impacto JCR: 12.712 (2016)

Categ. JCR: CHEMISTRY, PHYSICAL rank: 7 / 145 = 0.048 (2016) - Q1 - T1
Categ. JCR: MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY rank: 11 / 275 = 0.04 (2016) - Q1 - T1
Categ. JCR: NANOSCIENCE & NANOTECHNOLOGY rank: 5 / 87 = 0.057 (2016) - Q1 - T1
Categ. JCR: PHYSICS, CONDENSED MATTER rank: 7 / 67 = 0.104 (2016) - Q1 - T1
Categ. JCR: CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY rank: 11 / 166 = 0.066 (2016) - Q1 - T1
Categ. JCR: PHYSICS, APPLIED rank: 7 / 147 = 0.048 (2016) - Q1 - T1

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 7.892 - Bioengineering (Q1) - Chemistry (miscellaneous) (Q1) - Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (Q1) - Materials Science (miscellaneous) (Q1) - Mechanical Engineering (Q1) - Condensed Matter Physics (Q1)

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/E26-304043
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/239739/EU/Under the light of electrons/STEMOX
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/312483/EU/Enabling Science and Technology through European Electron Microscopy/ESTEEM 2
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MINECO/MAT2014-51982-C2

Tipo y forma: Artículo (PostPrint)

Área (Departamento): Área Física Materia Condensada (Dpto. Física Materia Condensa.)
Área (Departamento): Área Cienc.Mater. Ingen.Metal. (Dpto. Ciencia Tecnol.Mater.Fl.)