Giant optical enhancement of strain gradient in ferroelectric BiFeO3 thin films and its physical origin

Yuelin Li; Carolina Adamo; Pice Chen; Paul G. Evans; Serge M. Nakhmanson; William Parker; Clare E. Rowland; Richard D. Schaller; Darrell G. Schlom; Donald A. Walko; Haidan Wen; Qingteng Zhang

doi:10.1038/srep16650

Giant optical enhancement of strain gradient in ferroelectric BiFeO₃ thin films and its physical origin

Yuelin Li, Carolina Adamo, Pice Chen, Paul G. Evans, Serge M. Nakhmanson, William Parker, Clare E. Rowland, Richard D. Schaller, Darrell G. Schlom, Donald A. Walko, Haidan Wen, Qingteng Zhang

Northwestern University, Argonne National Laboratory

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

24 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Through mapping of the spatiotemporal strain profile in ferroelectric BiFeO₃epitaxial thin films, we report an optically initiated dynamic enhancement of the strain gradient of 10⁵-10⁶ m^-1 that lasts up to a few ns depending on the film thickness. Correlating with transient optical absorption measurements, the enhancement of the strain gradient is attributed to a piezoelectric effect driven by a transient screening field mediated by excitons. These findings not only demonstrate a new possible way of controlling the flexoelectric effect, but also reveal the important role of exciton dynamics in photostriction and photovoltaic effects in ferroelectrics.

Original language	English
Article number	16650
Journal	Scientific reports
Volume	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/srep16650
Publication status	Published - Nov 20 2015

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Giant optical enhancement of strain gradient in ferroelectric BiFeO₃ thin films and its physical origin. / Li, Yuelin; Adamo, Carolina; Chen, Pice; Evans, Paul G.; Nakhmanson, Serge M.; Parker, William; Rowland, Clare E.; Schaller, Richard D.; Schlom, Darrell G.; Walko, Donald A.; Wen, Haidan; Zhang, Qingteng.

In: Scientific reports, Vol. 5, 16650, 20.11.2015.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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abstract = "Through mapping of the spatiotemporal strain profile in ferroelectric BiFeO3epitaxial thin films, we report an optically initiated dynamic enhancement of the strain gradient of 105-106 m-1 that lasts up to a few ns depending on the film thickness. Correlating with transient optical absorption measurements, the enhancement of the strain gradient is attributed to a piezoelectric effect driven by a transient screening field mediated by excitons. These findings not only demonstrate a new possible way of controlling the flexoelectric effect, but also reveal the important role of exciton dynamics in photostriction and photovoltaic effects in ferroelectrics.",

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AU - Parker, William

AU - Rowland, Clare E.

AU - Schaller, Richard D.

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AU - Walko, Donald A.

AU - Wen, Haidan

AU - Zhang, Qingteng

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