Publication Date:
2014-12-06
Description:
Electric field-induced polarization rotation, phase changes, and piezoelectric effect of strained PbTiO 3 films have been investigated using a phenomenological approach. Low-symmetry monoclinic and triclinic structures have been induced, and the type of intermediate phases during polarization rotation is closely related to both the initial state at zero electric field and anisotropy of the in-plane strain. The monoclinic M C and triclinic structures in general may exhibit high shear piezoelectric coefficient d 35 and sometimes also remarkable enhancement of longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient d 33 around the transition point. High piezoelectric activity and low critical field have been found in epitaxial PbTiO 3 with equal but opposite in-plane strain where monoclinic M C is the only intermediate phase on the polarization path. The present results suggest that anisotropy of epitaxial strain may have significant impact on polarization rotation behavior and electromechanical coupling of ferroelectric thin films.
Print ISSN:
0021-8979
Electronic ISSN:
1089-7550
Topics:
Physics
