Non-Ising and chiral ferroelectric domain walls revealed by nonlinear optical microscopy

Salia Cherifi-Hertel (), Hervé Bulou, Riccardo Hertel, Grégory Taupier, Kokou Dodzi (Honorat) Dorkenoo, Christian Andreas, Jill Guyonnet, Iaroslav Gaponenko, Katia Gallo and Patrycja Paruch
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Salia Cherifi-Hertel: Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, UMR 7504
Hervé Bulou: Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, UMR 7504
Riccardo Hertel: Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, UMR 7504
Grégory Taupier: Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, UMR 7504
Kokou Dodzi (Honorat) Dorkenoo: Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, UMR 7504
Christian Andreas: Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, UMR 7504
Jill Guyonnet: DQMP, University of Geneva
Iaroslav Gaponenko: DQMP, University of Geneva
Katia Gallo: KTH—Royal Institute of Technology
Patrycja Paruch: DQMP, University of Geneva

Nature Communications, 2017, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract The properties of ferroelectric domain walls can significantly differ from those of their parent material. Elucidating their internal structure is essential for the design of advanced devices exploiting nanoscale ferroicity and such localized functional properties. Here, we probe the internal structure of 180° ferroelectric domain walls in lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films and lithium tantalate bulk crystals by means of second-harmonic generation microscopy. In both systems, we detect a pronounced second-harmonic signal at the walls. Local polarimetry analysis of this signal combined with numerical modelling reveals the existence of a planar polarization within the walls, with Néel and Bloch-like configurations in PZT and lithium tantalate, respectively. Moreover, we find domain wall chirality reversal at line defects crossing lithium tantalate crystals. Our results demonstrate a clear deviation from the ideal Ising configuration that is traditionally expected in uniaxial ferroelectrics, corroborating recent theoretical predictions of a more complex, often chiral structure.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15768

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