Influence of the ferroelectric polarization on the electronic structure of BaTiO3 thin films

Abstract

Micrometric domains of precise ferroelectric polarization have been written into a 20 nm thick epitaxial thin film of BaTiO3(001) (BTO) on a Nb doped SrTiO3 (STO) substrate using PiezoForce Microscopy (PFM). The domain dependent electronic structure has been studied using fully energy-filtered PhotoEmission Microscopy (PEEM) and synchrotron radiation. Shifts, induced by ferroelectric polarization, of up to 300 meV are observed in the work function of the sample. The surface is Ba-O terminated. Polarization-induced distortion of the electronic structure is observed in the valence band and on the Ba 3d, Ti 2p and O 1s core levels of BTO. Polarization dependent surface adsorption is observed. A simple electrostatic model based on net surface charge is not sufficient to explain the observed modifications in the electronic levels.