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Ferroelectric Domain Wall Engineering Enables Thermal Modulation in PMN-PT Single Crystals
Ankit Negi1, Hwang Pill Kim1, Zilong Hua2
1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|February 16, 2023
Summary
Ferroelectric domain walls in lead magnesium niobate–lead titanate (PMN-xPT) crystals enable room-temperature thermal conductivity modulation. Optimized poling conditions enhance domain wall density, achieving a thermal conductivity switching ratio up to 1.27 for phononic circuits.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
Background:
- Ferroelectric domain walls act as thermal resistances, offering potential for dynamic thermal conductivity modulation.
- Achieving significant room-temperature thermal modulation in bulk materials, especially commercially viable ones, remains challenging due to low thermal conductivity switching ratios.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate room-temperature thermal modulation in bulk ferroelectric single crystals.
- To investigate the relationship between poling conditions, domain structure, and thermal conductivity switching ratio in PMN-xPT.
- To explore the potential of PMN-xPT for phononic circuit applications.
Main Methods:
- Utilized advanced poling techniques on 2.5 mm-thick PMN-xPT single crystals.
- Conducted systematic studies on composition and orientation dependence.
- Employed simultaneous measurements of piezoelectric coefficient (d33), domain wall density (via polarized light microscopy - PLM), and birefringence change (via quantitative PLM).
Main Results:
- Achieved room-temperature thermal modulation with a maximum thermal conductivity switching ratio (khigh/klow) of approximately 1.27.
- Observed that intermediate poling states (0 < d33 < d33,max) reduce domain wall density due to domain enlargement.
- Found that optimized poling conditions (d33,max) increase domain inhomogeneity and enhance domain wall density.
Conclusions:
- Commercially available PMN-xPT single crystals show promise for thermal modulation applications.
- Domain wall density and size are critical factors influencing thermal conductivity switching.
- This research paves the way for temperature control in solid-state devices using ferroelectric materials.
