Bulk and domain-wall effects in ferroelectric photovoltaics

Hiroki Matsuo, Yuuki Kitanaka, Ryotaro Inoue, Yuji Noguchi, Masaru Miyayama, Takanori Kiguchi, and Toyohiko J. Konno

Phys. Rev. B 94, 214111 – Published 19 December 2016

Abstract

We investigate the photovoltaic (PV) effects in ferroelectrics based on the polar structure in domains and the intrinsic symmetry breaking of ferroelastic domain walls (DWs). A comprehensive analysis for $BiFe O_{3}$ films with the single-domain and 71° domain structures reveals a major contribution of the DWs superimposed on the bulk PV effect, which can explain the enhanced PV response in the multidomain film exhibiting photovoltages greater than the band gap. Our methodology can reveal the contributions of the bulk PV and the DW-PV effects quantitatively and uncover a design strategy for enhancing ferroelectric photovoltaics.

Received 27 May 2016
Revised 16 October 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.94.214111

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Domains Ferroelectricity

Photovoltaic absorbers

Piezoresponse force microscopy Scanning transmission electron microscopy

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Hiroki Matsuo¹, Yuuki Kitanaka², Ryotaro Inoue³, Yuji Noguchi^2,*, Masaru Miyayama^1,2, Takanori Kiguchi⁴, and Toyohiko J. Konno⁴

¹Department of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
²Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
³Division of Physics, Institute of Liberal Education, School of Medicine, Nihon University, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan
⁴Institute of Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan

^*ynoguchi@fmat.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp

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Issue

Vol. 94, Iss. 21 — 1 December 2016

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