Elastic distortion determining conduction in BiFeO₃ phase boundaries.

ABSTRACT: It is now well-established that boundaries separating tetragonal-like (T) and rhombohedral-like (R) phases in BiFeO₃ thin films can show enhanced electrical conductivity. However, the origin of this conductivity remains elusive. Here, we study mixed-phase BiFeO₃ thin films, where local populations of T and R can be readily altered using stress and electric fields. We observe that phase boundary electrical conductivity in regions which have undergone stress-writing is significantly greater than in the virgin microstructure. We use high-end electron microscopy techniques to identify key differences between the R-T boundaries present in stress-written and as-grown microstructures, to gain a better understanding of the mechanism responsible for electrical conduction. We f

SUBMITTER: Holsgrove KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9055675 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature