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Switching Ti valence in SrTiO3 by a dc electric field
T Leisegang1, H Stöcker, A A Levin
1Institut für Strukturphysik, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany. leisegang@physik.tu-dresden.de
Physical Review Letters
|March 5, 2009
Summary
Investigating strontium titanate (SrTiO3) with electric fields revealed changes in titanium
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Solid-State Physics
- Surface Science
Background:
- Strontium titanate (SrTiO3) is a perovskite oxide with significant ferroelectric and dielectric properties.
- Understanding the response of SrTiO3 to external stimuli like electric fields is crucial for device applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the in situ response of a (001) SrTiO3 wafer to an applied static electric field.
- To determine the changes in elemental valence states and their spatial distribution under electric field stress.
Main Methods:
- Utilized in situ fluorescence X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) spectroscopy.
- Analyzed Sr-K and Ti-K absorption edges at room temperature.
- Applied static electric fields of varying polarity.
Main Results:
- Observed a distinct shift in the Ti-K absorption edge energy, indicating a change in titanium valence state.
- No significant shift was detected at the Sr-K absorption edge.
- The observed Ti valence change is attributed to the diffusion of oxygen ions and vacancies within the material.
Conclusions:
- The study demonstrates that applied electric fields can induce changes in the Ti valence state in SrTiO3.
- Oxygen ion and vacancy diffusion are identified as the primary mechanism for this electric-field-induced valence change.
- Theoretical calculations corroborate the experimental findings, validating the proposed mechanism.
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