Facile Control of Ferroelastic Domain Patterns in Multiferroic Thin Films by a Scanning Tip Bias

BiFeO3, known as the holy grail of all multiferroics, provides an appealing platform for exploration of multifield coupling physics and design of functional devices. Many fantastic properties of BiFeO3 are regulated by its ferroelastic domain structure. However, a facile programable control on the ferroelastic domain structure in BiFeO3 remains challenging and our understanding on the existing control strategies is also far from complete. This work reports a facile control of ferroelastic domain patterns in BiFeO3 thin films under area scanning poling by exploiting the tip bias as the control parameter. Combining scanning probe microscopy experiments and simulations, we found that BiFeO3 thin films with pristine 71 degrees rhombohedral-phase stripe domains exhibit at least four switching pathways solely by controlling the scanning tip bias. As a result, one can readily write mesoscopic topological defects into the films without the necessity to change the tip motion. The correlation between conductance of the scanned region and the switching pathway is further investigated. Our results extend the current understanding on the domain switching kinetics and the coupled electronic transport properties in BiFeO3 thin films. The facile voltage control of ferroelastic domains should facilitate the development of configurable electronic and spintronic devices.

Automated summary

This work reports a facile control of ferroelastic domain patterns in BiFeO3 thin films by exploiting the tip bias as the control parameter. By controlling the scanning tip bias, mesoscopic topological defects can be readily written into the films without the necessity to change the tip motion. The correlation between conductance of the scanned region and the switching pathway is further investigated.