Polarization switching without domain formation at the intrinsic coercive field in ultrathin ferroelectric PbTiO₃.

Polarization switching in ferroelectrics has been thought to occur only through the nucleation and growth of new domains. Here we use in situ synchrotron x-ray scattering to monitor switching controlled by applied chemical potential. In sufficiently thin PbTiO₃ films, nucleation is suppressed and switching occurs by a continuous mechanism, i.

Ferroelectricity in ultrathin perovskite films.

Understanding the suppression of ferroelectricity in perovskite thin films is a fundamental issue that has remained unresolved for decades. We report a synchrotron x-ray study of lead titanate as a function of temperature and film thickness for films as thin as a single unit cell. At room temperature, the ferroelectric phase is stable for thicknesses down to 3 unit cells (1.