Large and accessible conductivity of charged domain walls in lithium niobate.

ABSTRACT: Ferroelectric domain walls are interfaces between areas of a material that exhibits different directions of spontaneous polarization. The properties of domain walls can be very different from those of the undisturbed material. Metallic-like conductivity of charged domain walls (CDWs) in nominally insulating ferroelectrics was predicted in 1973 and detected recently. This important effect is still in its infancy: The electric currents are still smaller than expected, the access to the conductivity at CDWs is hampered by contact barriers, and stability is low because of sophisticated domain structures or proximity of the Curie point. Here, we report on large, accessible, and stable conductivity at CDWs in lithium niobate (LN) crystals - a vital material for photonics. Our results mark a brea

SUBMITTER: Werner CS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5575345 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature