Journal article
Imaging and structure analysis of ferroelectric domains, domain walls, and vortices by scanning electron diffraction
npj computational materials, v 10(1), p106
01 Jan 2024
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Direct electron detectors in scanning transmission electron microscopy give unprecedented possibilities for structure analysis at the nanoscale. In electronic and quantum materials, this new capability gives access to, for example, emergent chiral structures and symmetry-breaking distortions that underpin functional properties. Quantifying nanoscale structural features with statistical significance, however, is complicated by the subtleties of dynamic diffraction and coexisting contrast mechanisms, which often results in a low signal-to-noise ratio and the superposition of multiple signals that are challenging to deconvolute. Here we apply scanning electron diffraction to explore local polar distortions in the uniaxial ferroelectric Er(Mn,Ti)O3. Using a custom-designed convolutional autoencoder with bespoke regularization, we demonstrate that subtle variations in the scattering signatures of ferroelectric domains, domain walls, and vortex textures can readily be disentangled with statistical significance and separated from extrinsic contributions due to, e.g., variations in specimen thickness or bending. The work demonstrates a pathway to quantitatively measure symmetry-breaking distortions across large areas, mapping structural changes at interfaces and topological structures with nanoscale spatial resolution.
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Details
- Title
- Imaging and structure analysis of ferroelectric domains, domain walls, and vortices by scanning electron diffraction
- Creators
- Ursula LudackaJiali HeShuyu QinManuel ZahnEmil Frang ChristiansenKasper A HunnestadXinqiao ZhangZewu YanEdith BourretIstván KézsmárkiAntonius T. J van HelvoortJoshua AgarDennis Meier
- Publication Details
- npj computational materials, v 10(1), p106
- Publisher
- Nature Publishing Group
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001227060700001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85193534948
- Other Identifier
- 991021880165904721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Chemistry, Physical
- Materials Science, Multidisciplinary