Flexoelectricity-driven giant polarization in (Bi, Na)TiO3-based ferroelectric thin films

Yunlong Sun, Ranming Niu, Zizheng Song, Shiyu Tang, Huizhong Wang, Xun Geng, Ji Zhang, Jack Yang, Claudio Cazorla, Changqing Guo, Shery L. Y. Chang, Xiaojie Lou, Houbing Huang (), Zibin Chen (), Shujun Zhang and Danyang Wang ()
Additional contact information
Yunlong Sun: The University of New South Wales, School of Materials Science and Engineering
Ranming Niu: The University of Sydney, Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis
Zizheng Song: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, State Key Laboratory of Ultra-Precision Machining Technology, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Shiyu Tang: Beijing Institute of Technology, Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science
Huizhong Wang: The University of New South Wales, School of Materials Science and Engineering
Xun Geng: The University of Newcastle, Global Innovative Center for Advanced Nanomaterials, College of Engineering, Science and Environment
Ji Zhang: The University of New South Wales, School of Materials Science and Engineering
Jack Yang: The University of New South Wales, School of Materials Science and Engineering
Claudio Cazorla: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Departament de Física
Changqing Guo: Beijing Institute of Technology, Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science
Shery L. Y. Chang: The University of New South Wales, School of Materials Science and Engineering
Xiaojie Lou: Xi’an Jiaotong University, Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials and Future Industrial Innovation Institute of Emerging Information Storage and Smart Sensor
Houbing Huang: Beijing Institute of Technology, Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science
Zibin Chen: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, State Key Laboratory of Ultra-Precision Machining Technology, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Shujun Zhang: City University of Hong Kong, Department of Chemistry
Danyang Wang: The University of New South Wales, School of Materials Science and Engineering

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract This study demonstrates the use of oxygen vacancy-induced planar defects to significantly enhance electrical polarization through a local flexoelectric effect. By introducing an appropriate level of aliovalent dopants, numerous local planar defects are induced in (Bi0.5, Na0.5)TiO3-based thin films. These defects, identified as oxygen-deficient structures through direct visualization of oxygen atoms and oxygen vacancies using integrated differential phase-contrast microscopy, result in the formation of head-to-head domain structures. Geometric phase analysis confirms that these structures exhibit a substantial local strain gradient of up to 109 m-1, contributing significantly to the flexoelectric polarization. Consequently, a giant maximum polarization (Pm) of 161 μC cm-2 under 750 kV cm-1 and a remanent polarization Pr = 115 μC cm-2 along with a coercive field of 250 kV cm-1 are achieved, allowing these (Bi0.5, Na0.5)TiO3-based thin films to be used in low-power electronic applications. Crucially, the Pm and Pr of the thin films can be sustained at 133 and 98 μC cm-2, respectively, at 230 °C. Additionally, they exhibit exceptional high-temperature fatigue endurance, with Pm and Pr demonstrating a negligible reduction of less than 9% after 107 cycles under 750 kV cm-1 at 230 °C. These values surpass those previously reported for oxide perovskite thin films at elevated temperatures, demonstrating potential applications of our thin films in high-temperature environments. Our findings offer promising avenues for advancing the application fields of ferroelectric thin films.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-65610-5

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