Ferroelectric origin in one-dimensional undoped ZnO towards high electromechanical response

Ghosh, Moumita and Ghosh, Siddharth and Seibt, Michael and Rao, Yellareswara K and Peretzkic, Patrick and Rao, Mohan G (2016) Ferroelectric origin in one-dimensional undoped ZnO towards high electromechanical response. In: CRYSTENGCOMM, 18 (4). pp. 622-630.

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Abstract

Ferroelectricity in ZnO is an unlikely physical phenomenon. Here, we show ferroelectricity in undoped 001] ZnO nanorods due to zinc vacancies. Generation of ferroelectricity in a ZnO nanorod effectively increases its piezoelectricity and turns the ZnO nanorod into an ultrahigh-piezoelectric material. Here using piezoelectric force microscopy (PFM), it is observed that increasing the frequency of the AC excitation electric field decreases the effective d(33). Subsequently, the existence of a reversible permanent electric dipole is also found from the P-E hysteresis loop of the ZnO nanorods. Under a high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), we observe a zinc blende stacking in the wurtzite stacking of a single nanorod along the growth axis. The zinc blende nature of this defect is also supported by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectra. The presence of zinc vacancies in this basal stacking fault modulates p-d hybridization of the ZnO nanorod and produces a magnetic moment through the adjacent oxygen ions. This in turn induces a reversible electric dipole in the non-centrosymmetric nanostructure and is responsible for the ultrahigh-piezoelectric response in these undoped ZnO nanorods. We reveal that this defect engineered ZnO can be considered to be in the competitive class of ultrahigh-piezoelectric nanomaterials for energy harvesting and electromechanical device fabrication.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	CRYSTENGCOMM
Publisher:	ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY
Additional Information:	Copy right for this article belongs to the ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY, THOMAS GRAHAM HOUSE, SCIENCE PARK, MILTON RD, CAMBRIDGE CB4 0WF, CAMBS, ENGLAND
Department/Centre:	Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences > Centre for Nano Science and Engineering Division of Physical & Mathematical Sciences > Instrumentation Appiled Physics
Date Deposited:	18 Feb 2016 06:04
Last Modified:	18 Feb 2016 06:04
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/53279

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