Fine tuning epitaxial strain in ferroelectrics: PbxSr(1-x)TiO3 on DyScO3

摘要

Epitaxial strain can be used to modify the properties of ferroelectric thinfilms. From the experimental viewpoint, the challenge is to fine-tune themagnitude of the strain. We illustrate how, by using a suitable combination ofcomposition and substrate, the magnitude of the epitaxial strain can becontrolled in a continuous manner. The phase diagram of PbxSr1-xTiO3 filmsgrown epitaxially on (110)-DyScO3 is calculated using a Devonshire-Landauapproach. A boundary between in-plane and out-of-plane oriented ferroelectricphases is predicted to take place at $x \approx$ 0.8. A series of PbxSr1-xTiO3films grown by MBE show good agreement with the proposed phase diagram