Tunable ferroelectric photovoltaic effect based on domain structure, strain and flexoelectricity
摘要
While photovoltaic effects in ferroelectrics have raised intensive interest, the interplay between domain structure, photogeneration, strain condition, and flexoelectric effect in ferroelectric thin films remains largely unexplored, hindering insights into fundamental physics and potential device design. Here, phase-field simulations, incorporating a quantum-potential-corrected photoelectrical transport model and flexoelectric effect, were performed to reveal the photovoltaic-related properties in R-phase BiFeO3 (BFO) thin films. The local distributions of electrostatic potential and charge carriers, as well as the global photovoltaic responses of the BFO thin films with 109° and 71° domain walls (DWs) under various electrical, mechanical, and illumination conditions were revealed. The result shows that 109° DWs display much larger potential drops and biaxial-strain sensitivity relative to 71° DWs. Moreover, BFO films with purely 109° DWs and those with purely 71° DWs exhibit distinct photovoltaic characteristics in many aspects, including short-circuit photocurrent, conductive pathway, strain sensitivity, and flexo-enhancement. Interestingly, due to the flexoelectric effect, photocurrents with opposite directions emerge in the BFO film upon upward versus downward bending. These results provide new insights into the multi-field coupling physics of ferroelectric photovoltaics and instructive guidelines for the design and control of photovoltaic devices.