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arXiv · 1605.07490

Artificial piezoelectricity in centrosymmetric SrTiO3

B. Khanbabaee·E. Mehner·C. Richter·J. Hanzig·M. Zschornak·U. Pietsch·H. Stöcker·T. Leisegang·D. C. Meyer·S. Gorfman
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Abstract

Defect engineering is an effective and powerful tool to control existing material properties and create completely new ones, which are symmetry-forbidden in a defect-free crystal. This letter reports on the creation of piezoelectrically active near-surface layer of centrosymmetric SrTiO3, modified by the electric field-induced migration of oxygen vacancies. We provide the unequivocal proof of piezoelectricity through the stroboscopic time-resolved X-ray diffraction under alternating electric field. The magnitude of the discovered piezoelectric effect is comparable with the bulk piezoelectric effect in commercial ferroelectric materials. Such artificially formed defect-mediated piezoelectricity can be important as an alternative road for smart materials design.

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B. Khanbabaee, E. Mehner, C. Richter, J. Hanzig, M. Zschornak, U. Pietsch, H. Stöcker, T. Leisegang, D. C. Meyer, S. Gorfman. 2016-05-24. Artificial piezoelectricity in centrosymmetric SrTiO3. https://arxiv.org/abs/1605.07490

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