Periodic vortex-antivortex pairs in tensile strained PbTiO3 films

作者：Yantao Chen, Yun‐Long Tang, Yin‐Lian Zhu, Yujia Wang, Mengjiao Han, Min‐Jie Zou, Yuan Ping Feng, Wan‐Rong Geng, Feng‐Hui Gong, Xiuliang Ma · 发表于：Applied Physics Letters · 年份：2020 · DOI：10.1063/5.0023871 · 被引用次数：17 · 研究领域：Ferroelectric and Piezoelectric Materials、Multiferroics and related materials、Electronic and Structural Properties of Oxides

Topological lattices such as vortices are of importance in both scientific research and application potential. Here, we observed periodic vortex-antivortex pairs in PbTiO3/SrTiO3 multilayered films deposited on orthorhombic (110)-oriented GdScO3 by pulsed laser deposition. Domain patterns of the PbTiO3 layers containing topological structures were analyzed in detail by using advanced transmission electron microscopy. It was found that by increasing the PbTiO3 thickness, a/c domains with extra c domains will form in the triangle a domains in pure flux-closure structures. Atomically resolved high-angle annular dark field-scanning TEM imaging demonstrates that this specific domain structure results in vortex-antivortex pairs at the junctions of extra c domains and the original flux-closure structure, forming a periodic vortex-antivortex array throughout the PbTiO3 layer. These results suggest a pathway for designing new topological structures in ferroelectric films.