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Local Optical Probes of Microwave Dielectric Dispersion in Ferroelectric Thin Films

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Abstract

The soft-mode contribution to the dielectric response of Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 ferroelectric thin films is measured locally at microwave frequencies using time-resolved confocal scanning optical microscopy. Optical measurements performed on an ensemble of nanometer-scale regions show a well-defined phase shift between the paraelectric and ferroelectric response at 2-4 GHz. Application of a static electric field produces large local variations in the phase of the ferroelectric response. These variations are attributed to the growth of a-axis ferroelectric nanodomains whose size-dependent relaxation frequencies lead to strong dielectric dispersion at mesoscopic scales. The in-plane paraelectric response is believed to arise from the surrounding c-axis matrix and non-polar regions, and shows negligible dispersion. These results provide a direct view of the soft-mode mechanisms of microwave dielectric loss in ferroelectric thin films.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA

    Charles Hubert & Jeremy Levy

  2. Naval Research Laboratory, Electronics Science and Technology Division Washington, DC, 20375, USA

    E. J. Cukauskas, Steven W. Kirchoefer, Jeffrey M. Pond & William J. De Sisto

Authors
  1. Charles Hubert
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  2. Jeremy Levy
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  3. E. J. Cukauskas
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  4. Steven W. Kirchoefer
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  5. Jeffrey M. Pond
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  6. William J. De Sisto
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Hubert, C., Levy, J., Cukauskas, E.J. et al. Local Optical Probes of Microwave Dielectric Dispersion in Ferroelectric Thin Films. MRS Online Proceedings Library 603, 277–282 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-603-277

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-603-277

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