Optical control of domain configuration through light polarization in ferroelectric BaTiO3

Optical control and switching of domain configuration are intriguing to overcome the sluggish time response, hysteresis, and Joule heating losses present in conventional methods where resistive contacts are involved. The effective optical control of the domain configuration has remained challenging and far from fully understood. It has been reported that light polarization can be used to control the domain configuration in BaTiO3, however, without much focus on origin of its mechanism. By combining the experimental techniques that are sensitive to the local and average crystal structure and to electric polarization and electronic structure, we detect and demonstrate the optically guided variations in the domain configurations of BaTiO3 and show that the strain field generated through the bulk photovoltaic effect plays a key role in domain reconfiguration. Complete mechanism of reversible domain control via light polarization is discussed.

Automated summary

In this study, we experimentally detected and demonstrated the optically guided variations in the domain configurations of BaTiO3, and showed that the strain field generated through the bulk photovoltaic effect plays a key role in domain reconfiguration. The complete mechanism of reversible domain control via light polarization is discussed.