Ferroelectric domain structures in strained BiFeO3 ceramics synthesized by spark plasma sintering

Abstract The ferroelectric domain structures were analyzed in strained multiferroic BiFeO3 ceramics via X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). XRD refinements indicate that the SPS method introduced the large strain into the ceramic samples even though ~50% strain reduction could be conducted through annealing process. The large strain increased the contents of unusual 71° ± 1° grain boundaries and deformed 71° domain walls (~89° twin boundaries) both in the as-sintered sample and the annealed sample, which could accommodate the grain boundary energy and the large thermal strain. The large strain was more conducive to form typical curved and bridge-like 180° domain morphologies. And the domain topographies heavily relied on the grain orientations.