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Exploring the field-dependent structural evolution of ferroelectric materials using in-situ transmission electron microscopy

Summary

This project aims to investigate the dynamical field-dependent structural responses of ferroelectric materials under mechanical and electrical excitations at different temperatures using in-situ transmission electron microscopy.

Supervisor

Professor Xiaozhou Liao.

Research location

Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

Program type

Masters/PHD

Synopsis

Ferroelectric materials exhibit intrinsic coupling of spontaneous polarization and strain. They have significant applications as critical components in next-generation logical devices, non-volatile memories, actuators and sensors. The reliability and functionality of these devices depend strongly on their field-dependent dynamic of ferroelectric/ferroelastic domain switching. Recent researches have revealed different responses of ferroelectric/ferroelastic domain switching by varying temperature, electrical bias and/or mechanical stresses. The combination of these excitations adds one or more degrees of freedoms for domain switching and therefore provides an appealing possibility for improving extensively ferroelectric device performance. However, little has been known on the mechanism and dynamic of domain switching under combined external stimulations due to the lack of appropriate experimental tools. This project aims to apply advanced in-situ transmission electron microscopy techniques to conduct nano-compression/tensile experiments combined with electric field and heating to understand the details of field-dependent domain switching processes. 

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Opportunity ID

The opportunity ID for this research opportunity is 2045

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