biostudies-literatureUnknown8(1)Das SOxygen vacancies, especially their distribution, are directly coupled to the electromagnetic properties of oxides and related emergent functionalities that have implications for device applications. Here using a homoepitaxial strontium titanate thin film, we demonstrate a controlled manipulation of the oxygen vacancy distribution using the mechanical force from a scanning probe microscope tip. By combining Kelvin probe force microscopy imaging and phase-field simulations, we show that oxygen vacancies can move under a stress-gradient-induced depolarisation field. When tailored, this nanoscale flexoelectric effect enables a controlled spatial modulation. In motion, the scanning probe tip thereby deterministically reconfigures the spatial distribution of vacancies. The ability to locally manNature communications615https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC5607007biostudies-literatureControlled manipulation of oxygen vacancies using nanoscale flexoelectricity.PMC5607007Jae Shin YRae Cho MDas SWang BCao YNoh TWMo Yang SChen LQKalinin SVKim MWang LfalseControlled manipulation of oxygen vacancies using nanoscale flexoelectricity.Oxygen vacancies, especially their distribution, are directly coupled to the electromagnetic properties of oxides and related emergent functionalities that have implications for device applications. Here using a homoepitaxial strontium titanate thin film, we demonstrate a controlled manipulation of the oxygen vacancy distribution using the mechanical force from a scanning probe microscope tip. By combining Kelvin probe force microscopy imaging and phase-field simulations, we show that oxygen vacancies can move under a stress-gradient-induced depolarisation field. When tailored, this nanoscale flexoelectric effect enables a controlled spatial modulation. In motion, the scanning probe tip thereby deterministically reconfigures the spatial distribution of vacancies. The ability to locally man2017-01-01T00:00:00Z2017 Sep2025-04-18T19:35:58.773Z2019-03-27T02:56:56ZS-EPMC56070072893181010.1038/s41467-017-00710-5