Electric-field-induced non-ergodic relaxor to ferroelectric transition in BiFeO<sub>3</sub>–<i>x</i>SrTiO<sub>3</sub> ceramics
Leonardo Soares de Oliveira, Jeppe Ormstrup, Marta Majkut, Maja Makarovic, Tadej Rojac, Julian Walker, Hugh Simons
Abstract
Bragg peaks. The dynamics of the intensities and positions of the (111) and (111̄) reflections reveal an initial non-ergodic regime followed by long-range ferroelectric ordering after extended poling cycles. The increased degree of random multi-site occupation in BFO-42STO compared to BFO-35STO is correlated with an increase of the critical electric field needed to induce the non-ergodic-to-ferroelectric transition, and a decrease in the degree of domain reorientation. Although both compositions show an irreversible transition to a long-range ferroelectric state, our results suggest that the weaker ferroelectric response in BFO-42STO is related to an increase in ergodicity. This, in turn, serves to guide the development of BFO-based systems into promising platform for further property engineering towards specific capacitor applications.