Revealing deeply embedded defect pathways for efficient antiferroelectrics

This proposal aims to make the first ever direct measurements of how deeply-embedded defects impede the antiferroelectric-to-ferroelectric transition in lead free antiferroelectric materials. These materials are widely seen as promising candidates for the next generation of environmentally sustainable energy storage capacitors and, as such, this work is expected to provide fundamental insight into the phenomena and processes that limit their performance. The experiment will involve using the FFDXM capabilities of ID01 to make 3D maps of the defect-domain wall interfaces that facilitate the charge storage, during the in-situ application of large electric fields. This work comprises an essential aspect of the PhD project of the Principle Investigator.