Conductive domain walls (DWs) in ferroic materials have emerged as promising candidates for applications in nanoelectronics due to their unique properties such as high conductivity and nonvolatility. In this study, we investigate the atomic structure and conductivity of nominally neutral 180° DWs artificially created in an epitaxial thin film of tetragonal PbZr_0.1Ti_0.9O₃. Using piezoresponse force microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy, we elucidate the complex structure of these 180° DWs and their coupling with ferroelastic domains, revealing that they exhibit a complex structure due to the strain-mediated interplay with the ferroelastic domains. Our results demonstrate that the 180° DWs conductivity is associated with the emergence of polar discontinuities, including the formation of tail-to-tail charged segments, which has been further confirmed by electron energy loss spectroscopy. Additionally, we investigated the long-term performance of these domain boundaries, demonstrating their unique mobility and structural stability. Our findings provide insights into the atomic-scale mechanisms that turn nominally neutral DWs into highly conductive channels, paving the way for their use in advanced nanoelectronic devices.

中文翻译：

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PbZr0.1Ti0.9O3 中 180° 导电畴壁的原子尺度表征


铁质材料中的导电畴壁 （DWs） 由于其独特的特性（如高导电性和非挥发性）已成为纳米电子学应用的有前途的候选者。在这项研究中，我们研究了在四方 PbZr_0.1Ti_0.9O₃ 的外延薄膜中人工创建的标称中性 180° DW 的原子结构和电导率。使用压电响应力显微镜和扫描透射电子显微镜，我们阐明了这些 180° DW 的复杂结构及其与铁弹性域的耦合，揭示了由于应变介导的与铁弹性域的相互作用，它们表现出复杂的结构。我们的结果表明，180° DWs 电导率与极性不连续性的出现有关，包括形成尾对尾带电片段，这已通过电子能量损失光谱进一步证实。此外，我们还研究了这些域边界的长期性能，展示了它们独特的移动性和结构稳定性。我们的研究结果为将标称中性 DW 转化为高导电通道的原子级机制提供了见解，为它们在先进纳米电子器件中的应用铺平了道路。