Nanoscale-heterogeneous two-phase states in epitaxial PbZrO3/SrRuO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures in field-induced structural switching.

Nanoscale-heterogeneous two-phase states in epitaxial PbZrO3/SrRuO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures are a key element in smearing of antiferroelectric-to-ferroelectric field-induced phase transitions. Those states comprise an antiferroelectric phase and an unusual intermediate phase characterized by a superposition of multiple modulation periods. The objective is to in-situ characterize the evolution of such two-phase states upon changing electric field. This helps elucidating the physical origin of the multi-period phase and sharpening the functional characteristics of such films.