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Multiscaling analysis of ferroelectric domain wall roughness
J Guyonnet1, E Agoritsas, S Bustingorry
1DPMC-MaNEP, University of Geneva, 24 Quai Ernest Ansermet, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland. jill.guyonnet@unige.ch
Physical Review Letters
|October 23, 2012
Summary
Ferroelectric domain walls in lead zirconate titanate thin films exhibit simple scaling at small sizes but become multiaffine at larger scales. This complex behavior is linked to localized disorder, potentially from substrate dislocation defects.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Thin Film Technology
Background:
- Ferroelectric domain walls in thin films are crucial for device applications.
- Understanding their morphology and scaling behavior is key to controlling properties.
- Previous studies often assumed simple scaling, limiting insights into complex systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the multiscaling behavior of ferroelectric domain walls in Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 thin films.
- To compare experimental observations with numerical simulations of pinned interfaces.
- To identify the origins of complex scaling in these domain walls.
Main Methods:
- Multiscaling analysis applied to experimental data of ferroelectric domain walls.
- Numerical simulations of weakly pinned one-dimensional interfaces.
- Comparison of scaling exponents (ζ) across different length scales.
Main Results:
- Ferroelectric domain walls exhibit monoaffine scaling up to 5 μm, consistent with simulations.
- Beyond 5 μm, domain walls display globally multiaffine scaling, indicating varying roughness exponents.
- Localized variations in disorder potential, possibly due to substrate dislocations, are identified as dominant contributors.
Conclusions:
- Ferroelectric domain wall scaling is more complex than previously assumed, showing multiaffine behavior at larger scales.
- Substrate defects play a significant role in dictating domain wall morphology and scaling.
- This finding has implications for the design and performance of ferroelectric devices.
