A Strain-Driven Morphotropic Phase Boundary in BiFeO 3

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1177046
• Publication Date: 2009-11-12T22:42:41Z
• Authors: R. J. Zeches; M. D. Rossell; J. X. Zhang; A. J. Hatt; Q. He; C.-H. Yang; A. Kumar; C. H. Wang; A. Melville; C. Adamo; G. Sheng; Y.-H. Chu; J. F. Ihlefeld; R. Erni; C. Ederer; V. Gopalan; L. Q. Chen; D. G. Schlom; N. A. Spaldin; L. W. Martin; R. Ramesh
• Keywords: Monoclinic crystal system; Phase boundary

Piezoelectric materials, which convert mechanical to electrical energy and vice versa, are typically characterized by the intimate coexistence of two phases across a morphotropic phase boundary. Electrically switching one other yields large electromechanical coupling coefficients. Driven global environmental concerns, there is currently strong push discover practical lead-free piezoelectrics for device engineering. Using combination epitaxial growth techniques in conjunction with theoretical approaches, we show formation boundary through constraint piezoelectric bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) films. Electric field-dependent studies that tetragonal-like can be reversibly converted into rhombohedral-like phase, accompanied measurable displacements surface, making this new system interest probe-based data storage actuator applications.