In-situ and time-resolved synchrotron X-ray diffraction of polycrystalline PLZT thin films
2IM2NP UMR 7334, Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, Marseille, France
3Diffabs beamline, Synchrotron SOLEIL, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
4Department of Physics and Chemistry, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Ilha Solteira, Brazil
Relaxor ferroelectrics such as Pb1-yLay(Zr1-xTix)O3 (PLZT) are one of the most interesting objects of solid state physics studied over the last 50 years. While the physical properties of ordinary ferroelectrics are adequately described by the Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire theory [1], relaxor ferroelectrics possess a number of unique properties that make them promising candidates for technological applications such as piezoelectric transducers and light shutters. Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) solid solutions exhibit exceptional piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties at compositions around the morphotropic phase boundary [2,3]. The addition of La3+ to the conventional PZT system distorts the unit cell and decreases the concentration of oxygen vacancies, leading to transitions from normal ferroelectric to relaxor behavior [4].
In-situ and time-resolved synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) combined with the application of an electric field provides useful and precise information beyond the usual applications for structural studies [5,6,7] and to the structural dynamics during electrical loading [8,9]. In situ XRD on PLZT thin films show that both strain and diffraction peak width follow a “butterfly” loop demonstrating the piezoelectric hysteresis, respectively, an incomplete switching of domains. Time-resolved XRD during electric field pulse sequences demonstrate switching times of 100-200 ns of the ferroelectric domains [9].
References
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[3] B. Noheda et al., Phys. Rev. B 61, 8687 (2000)
[4] Q. Zou et al., Thin Solid Films 402, 65–70 (2002)
[5] J. Young et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 055501 (2011)
[6] S. Gorfman et al., Sci. Rep. 6, 20829 (2016)
[7] T.W Cornelius et al., J. Appl. Phys. 122, 164104 (2017)
[8] C. Kwamen et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 114, 162907 (2019)
[9] M. Rössle et al., J. Appl. Phys. 131, 064102 (2022)
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