Nano-Domain Pinning in Ferroelastic-Ferroelectrics by Extended Structural Defects

© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim 1 wileyonlinelibrary.com elastic twins and polarization domain walls is complicated, [ 8–10 ] especially in multiferroics with magnetic domains in addition. [ 11 ] Two geometric hierarchies arise that are of signifi cant interest: (1) ferroelastic nano-twins that lie inside ferroelectric meso-domains, as fi rst shown by Simon et al . [ 12 ] and more recently by Evans et al . [ 11 ] and (2) the converse situation with ferroelectric nano-domains inside ferroelastic twins. [ 13 ] These situations produce curious effects, including self-similar domain geometries [ 14 ] and acute sensitivity to irradiation from electron microscopes, [ 15,16 ] and unintentional stress. [ 17 ]