Reversible long-range domain wall motion in an improper ferroelectric
OPEN ACCESS
Loading...
Author / Producer
Date
2025-02-19
Publication Type
Journal Article
ETH Bibliography
yes
Citations
Altmetric
OPEN ACCESS
Data
Rights / License
Abstract
Reversible ferroelectric domain wall movements beyond the 10 nm range associated with Rayleigh behavior are usually restricted to specific defect-engineered systems. Here, we demonstrate that such long-range movements naturally occur in the improper ferroelectric ErMnO3 during electric-field-cycling. We study the electric-field-driven motion of domain walls, showing that they readily return to their initial position after having traveled distances exceeding 250 nm. By applying switching spectroscopy band-excitation piezoresponse force microscopy, we track the domain wall movement with nanometric spatial precision and analyze the local switching behavior. Phase field simulations show that the reversible long-range motion is intrinsic to the hexagonal manganites, linking it to their improper ferroelectricity and topologically protected structural vortex lines, which serve as anchor point for the ferroelectric domain walls. Our results give new insight into the local dynamics of domain walls in improper ferroelectrics and demonstrate the possibility to reversibly displace domain walls over much larger distances than commonly expected for ferroelectric systems in their pristine state, ensuring predictable device behavior for applications such as tunable capacitors or sensors.
Permanent link
Publication status
published
External links
Editor
Book title
Journal / series
Volume
16 (1)
Pages / Article No.
1781
Publisher
Nature
Event
Edition / version
Methods
Software
Geographic location
Date collected
Date created
Subject
Organisational unit
Notes
Funding
178825 - Dynamical processes in systems with strong electronic correlations (SNF)
215423 - Magnetoelectric Properties of Multiferroic Domain Walls (SNF)
215423 - Magnetoelectric Properties of Multiferroic Domain Walls (SNF)
Related publications and datasets
Is cited by: