Browsing by Author "Vasudevan, R. K."

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Controlling magnetoelectric coupling by nanoscale phase transformation in strain engineered bismuth ferrite
(2012)
Liu, Y. Y.
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Vasudevan, R. K.
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Pan, K.
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Xie, S. H.
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Liang, W-I
The magnetoelectric coupling in multiferroic materials is promising for a wide range of applications, yet manipulating magnetic ordering by electric field proves elusive to obtain and difficult to control. In this paper, we explore the prospect of controlling magnetic ordering in misfit strained bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3, BFO) films, combining theoretical analysis, numerical simulations, and experimental characterizations. Electric field induced transformation from a tetragonal phase to a distorted rhombohedral one in strain engineered BFO films has been identified by thermodynamic analysis, and realized by scanning probe microscopy (SPM) experiment. By breaking the rotational symmetry of a tip-induced electric field as suggested by phase field simulation, the morphology of distorted rhombohedral variants has been delicately controlled and regulated. Such capabilities enable nanoscale control of magnetoelectric coupling in strain engineered BFO films that is difficult to achieve otherwise, as demonstrated by phase field simulations.
Domain Wall Geometry Controls Conduction in Ferroelectrics
(2012-11-01)
Vasudevan, R. K.
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Morozovska, A. N.
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Eliseev, E. A.
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Britson, J.
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Yang, J. -C.
A new paradigm of domain wall. nanoelectronics has emerged recently, in which the domain wall in a ferroic is itself an active device element The ability to spatially. modulate the ferroic order parameter within a single domain wall allows the physical properties to be tailored at will and hence opens vastly unexplored device possibilities: Here, we demonstrate via ambient and ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) scanning probe microscopy (SPM) measurements in bismuth ferrite that the conductivity of the domain walls can be modulated by up to 500% in the spatial dimension as a function of domain wall curvature. Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire calculations reveal the conduction is a.. result of carriers or vacancies migrating to neutralize the charge at the farmed interface. Phase field modeling indicates that anisotropic potential distributions can occur even for initially uncharged walls, from polarization dynamics mediated by elastic effects. These results are the first proof of concept for modulation of charge as a function of domain wall geometry by a proximal probe, thereby expanding potential applications for oxide ferroics in future nanoscale electronics.
Single-domain multiferroic BiFeO3 films
(2016-09-01)
Kuo, C. -Y.
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Hu, Z.
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Yang, J. C.
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Liao, S. -C.
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Huang, Y. L.
The strong coupling between antiferromagnetism and ferroelectricity at room temperature found in BiFeO3 generates high expectations for the design and development of technological devices with novel functionalities. However, the multi-domain nature of the material tends to nullify the properties of interest and complicates the thorough understanding of the mechanisms that are responsible for those properties. Here we report the realization of a BiFeO3 material in thin film form with single-domain behaviour in both its magnetism and ferroelectricity: the entire film shows its antiferromagnetic axis aligned along the crystallographic b axis and its ferroelectric polarization along the c axis. With this we are able to reveal that the canted ferromagnetic moment due to the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction is parallel to the a axis. Furthermore, by fabricating a Co/BiFeO3 heterostructure, we demonstrate that the ferromagnetic moment of the Co film does couple directly to the canted moment of BiFeO3.
Unraveling the origins of electromechanical response in mixed-phase bismuth ferrite
(2013-07-08)
Vasudevan, R. K.
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Okatan, M. B.
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Liu, Y. Y.
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Jesse, S.
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Yang, J. -C.
The origin of giant electromechanical response in a mixed-phase rhombohedral-tetragonal BiFeO3 thin film is probed using subcoercive scanning probe microscopy based multiple-harmonic measurements. Significant contributions to the strain arise from a second-order harmonic response localized at the phase boundaries. Strain and dissipation data, backed by thermodynamic calculations, suggest that the source of the enhanced electromechanical response is the motion of phase boundaries. These findings elucidate the key role of labile phase boundaries, both natural and artificial, in achieving thin films with giant electromechanical properties.