Ferroelectric domain structures of epitaxial (001) BiFeO3 thin films

Ferroelectric domain structures of epitaxial BiFeO3 thin films on miscut (001) SrTiO3 substrates have been studied by transmission electron microscopy. BiFeO3 on 0.8 degrees miscut substrates are composed of both 109 degrees and 71 degrees domains; in contrast, only 71 degrees stripe domains are observed in BiFeO3 on 4 degrees miscut (001) SrTiO3 substrates. The domain width in BiFeO3 on 4 degrees miscut substrates increases as film thickness increases due to a reduction in domain wall energy. The domain configurations of BiFeO3 thin films affect their ferroelectric switching behavior due to the pinning at the junctions between 109 degrees and 71 degrees domain walls. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.