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Observation of Electric-Field-Induced Structural Dislocations in a Ferroelectric Oxide

Abstract

Dislocations are 1D topological defects with emergent electronic properties. Their low dimensionality and unique properties make them excellent candidates for innovative device concepts, ranging from dislocation-based neuromorphic memory to light emission from diodes. To date, dislocations are created in materials during synthesis via strain fields or flash sintering or retrospectively via deformation, for example, (nano)-indentation, limiting the technological possibilities. In this work, we demonstrate the creation of dislocations in the ferroelectric semiconductor Er(Mn,Ti)O3 with nanoscale spatial precision using electric fields. By combining high-resolution imaging techniques and density functional theory calculations, direct images of the dislocations are collected, and their impact on the local electric transport behavior is studied. Our approach enables local property control via dislocations without the need for external macroscopic strain fields, expanding the application opportunities into the realm of electric-field-driven phenomena.
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Category

Academic article

Language

English

Author(s)

Affiliation

  • SINTEF Industry / Materials and Nanotechnology
  • Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich
  • Norwegian University of Science and Technology
  • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Year

2021

Published in

Nano Letters

ISSN

1530-6984

Volume

21

Issue

8

Page(s)

3386 - 3392

View this publication at Norwegian Research Information Repository