Journal
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
Volume 8, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15768
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Funding
- French National Research Agency (ANR) through JCJC program (DYNAMECS) [ANR-11-JS10-009-01]
- Swedish Research Council (ADOPT Linnaeus Centre) [VR 622-2010-526, 621-2011-4040]
- Swiss National Science Foundation through the NCCR MaNEP
- Swiss National Science Foundation through the Division II grant [200021-153174]
- Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) [200021_153174] Funding Source: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
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The properties of ferroelectric domain walls can significantly differ from those of their parent material. Elucidating their internal structure is essential for the design of advanced devices exploiting nanoscale ferroicity and such localized functional properties. Here, we probe the internal structure of 180 degrees ferroelectric domain walls in lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films and lithium tantalate bulk crystals by means of second-harmonic generation microscopy. In both systems, we detect a pronounced second-harmonic signal at the walls. Local polarimetry analysis of this signal combined with numerical modelling reveals the existence of a planar polarization within the walls, with Neel and Bloch-like configurations in PZT and lithium tantalate, respectively. Moreover, we find domain wall chirality reversal at line defects crossing lithium tantalate crystals. Our results demonstrate a clear deviation from the ideal Ising configuration that is traditionally expected in uniaxial ferroelectrics, corroborating recent theoretical predictions of a more complex, often chiral structure.
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