Ferroelectric domain structures of epitaxial (001) BiFeO3 thin films

Abstract

Ferroelectric domain structures of epitaxial BiFeO3 thin films on miscut (001) SrTiO3 substrates have been studied by transmission electron microscopy. BiFeO3 on 0.8° miscut substrates are composed of both 109° and 71° domains; in contrast, only 71° stripe domains are observed in BiFeO3 on 4° miscut (001) SrTiO3 substrates. The domain width in BiFeO3 on 4° 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° and 71° domain walls.