The
use of photonic concepts to achieve nanoactuation based on
light triggering requires complex architectures to obtain the desired
effect. In this context, the recent discovery of reversible optical
control of the domain configuration in ferroelectrics offers a light-ferroic
interplay that can be easily controlled. To date, however, the optical
control of ferroelectric domains has been explored in single crystals,
although polycrystals are technologically more desirable because they
can be manufactured in a scalable and reproducible fashion. Here we
report experimental evidence for a large photostrain response in polycrystalline
BaTiO
3
that is comparable to their electrostrain values.
Domains engineering is performed through grain size control, thereby
evidencing that charged domain walls appear to be the functional interfaces
for the light-driven domain switching. The findings shed light on
the design of high-performance photoactuators based on ferroelectric
ceramics, providing a feasible alternative to conventional voltage-driven
nanoactuators.
Light-induced ferroelectric domain wall motion turns out to be a promising phenomenon to develop new photo-controlled devices. However, the physical origin of this ligh-matter coupling when material is irradiated with visible light remains unclear. Here, a phenomenological model predicting the motion of charged domain walls (CDWs) is developed. The photo-induced electronic reconstruction mechanism is proposed as the primary absorption mechanism, leading to a linear dependence for the polarization perturbation with the light intensity. Domain walls motion is then driven by the energetic difference between domains in a CDW array, such that the macroscopic polarization can be easily tuned.
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