Atomic-Scale Analysis of Dislocation-Controlled Domain Nucleation and Domain-Wall Pinning in Single-Crystal BaTiO3 by Cryo/Heating MEMS-Based In Situ TEM

Engineering domain walls at the nanoscale aims to enhance macroscopic functional properties, thereby revealing immense potential for advancements in electromechanics and electronics. By imprinting topological defects into functional materials, this approach highlights a substantial opportunity to boost material performance [1, 2], even with our present limited understanding of how topological defects influence domain nucleation and domain wall motion [3]. This gap propels our exploration into the dynamics of domain walls in ferroelectric materials, spanning microscale to nanoscale and ranging from above-room temperature to liquid nitrogen temperatures. Our goal is to drive advancements in electromechanics and electronics applications.