Issue |
Europhys. Lett.
Volume 57, Number 4, February 2002
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 597 - 603 | |
Section | Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and opticalproperties | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1209/epl/i2002-00503-6 | |
Published online | 01 September 2002 |
Evidence of random electric fields in the relaxor-ferroelectric
1
Institut für Mineralogie und Geochemie, Universität zu Köln
Zülpicherstr. 49b, D-50674 Köln, Germany
2
Fachbereich
Physik, Universität Osnabrück
Barbarastr. 7, D-49069
Osnabrück, Germany
3
Laboratorium für Angewandte Physik,
Gerhard-Mercator-Universität Duisburg
Lotharstr. 65, D-47048
Duisburg, Germany
Received:
3
August
2001
Accepted:
29
November
2001
We present strong evidence of the existence of quenched random electric fields in relaxor ferroelectrics by investigating the aging in ferroelectric hysteresis loops under light illumination. The temporal behaviour of ferroelectric domains under external electric fields and light illumination is measured in cerium-doped strontium-barium-niobate crystals using quasistatic surface charge detection. The aging, caused by electric pinning centres which hinder domain wall motion, leads to a decrease in domain wall mobility. Raising the sample conductivity by illumination eliminates the pinning centres and fully restores the polarization dynamics.
PACS: 77.80.Dj – Domain structure; hysteresis / 77.80.Fm – Switching phenomena / 77.84.Dy – Niobates, titanates, tantalates, PZT ceramics, etc
© EDP Sciences, 2002
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