Imaging and structure analysis of ferroelectric domains, domain walls, and vortices by scanning electron diffraction

• DOI: 10.1038/s41524-024-01265-y
• Publication Date: 2024-05-18T13:01:52Z
• Authors: Ursula Ludacka; Jiali He; Shuyu Qin; Manuel Zahn; Emil Frang Christ...; Kasper A. Hunnestad; Xinqiao Zhang; Zewu Yan; Edith Bourret; István Kézsmárki; Antonius T. J. va...; Joshua Agar; Dennis Meier
• Keywords: Ferroelectrics and multiferroics; Quantum Physics; Materials engineering; ddc:530; Materials Engineering; Imaging techniques; Condensed matter physics; Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry; QA76.75-76.765; Engineering; Theoretical and computational chemistry; Chemical Sciences; Physical Sciences; 0103 physical sciences; TA401-492; Ferroelectrics and multiferroics; Imaging techniques; Computer software; 0210 nano-technology; Materials of engineering and construction. Mechanics of materials

Abstract Direct electron detectors in scanning transmission microscopy give unprecedented possibilities for structure analysis at the nanoscale. In electronic and quantum materials, this new capability gives access to, example, emergent chiral structures symmetry-breaking distortions that underpin functional properties. Quantifying nanoscale structural features with statistical significance, however, is complicated by subtleties of dynamic diffraction coexisting contrast mechanisms, which often results a low signal-to-noise ratio superposition multiple signals are challenging to deconvolute. Here we apply explore local polar uniaxial ferroelectric Er(Mn,Ti)O 3 . Using custom-designed convolutional autoencoder bespoke regularization, demonstrate subtle variations scattering signatures domains, domain walls, vortex textures can readily be disentangled significance separated from extrinsic contributions due e.g., specimen thickness or bending. The work demonstrates pathway quantitatively measure across large areas, mapping changes interfaces topological spatial resolution.