Sub-lattice polarization states in anti-ferroelectrics and their relaxation process

DOI: 10.1016/j.cap.2019.03.009
Data DOI: 10.1016/j.cap.2019.03.009

Authors: M. M. Vopson (University of Portsmouth) , X. Tan (Iowa State University) , E. Namvar (University of Portsmouth) , M. Belusky (University of Portsmouth) , S. P. Thompson (Diamond Light Source) , V. Kuncser (National Institute for Materials Physics, Bucharest-Magurele) , F. Plazaola (UPV/EHU) , I. Unzueta (UPV/EHU) , C. C. Tang (Diamond Light Source)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Current Applied Physics , VOL 19 , PAGES 651-656

State: Published (Approved)
Published: March 2019
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 18495

Abstract: We report studies of quasi-remanent polarization states in Pb0.99Nb0.02[(Zr0.57Sn0.43)0.94Ti0.06]0.98O3 (PNZST) anti-ferroelectric ceramics and investigation of their relaxation effects using unique in-situ electrically activated time-resolved Synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction (SXPD) and 119Sn Mössbauer Spectroscopy (MS). The SXPD patterns are consistent with a phase transition from quasi-tetragonal perovskite in 0V relaxed anti-ferroelectric state to rhombohedral distortion in ferroelectric state under saturating applied voltages of 2kV. The observed quasi-remanent polarization relaxation processes are due to the fact that tetragonal to rhombohedral distortion does not occur at the applied voltage required to access the quasi-remanent polarization states, and the tetragonal symmetry restored after the removal of the applied electric field is preserved. Since these quasi-remanent polarization states were seen as possibly suitable for memory applications, the implications of this study are that anti-ferroelectrics are more feasible for multi-state dynamic random access memories (DRAM), while their application to non-volatile memories requires development of more sophisticated “read-out” protocols, possibly involving dc electrical biasing.

Journal Keywords: Polarization relaxation; anti-polar materials; solid state memories; time resolved synchrotron measurements; Mossbauer spectroscopy

Diamond Keywords: Data Storage; Antiferroelectricity; Ferroelectricity

Subject Areas: Physics, Materials, Information and Communication Technology


Instruments: I11-High Resolution Powder Diffraction

Added On: 19/03/2019 10:28

Discipline Tags:

Quantum Materials Hard condensed matter - electronic properties Physics Electronics Components & Micro-systems Information & Communication Technologies Materials Science

Technical Tags:

Diffraction X-ray Powder Diffraction