Ferroelectric domain wall motion induced by polarized light

Abstract : Ferroelectric materials exhibit spontaneous and stable polarization, which can ususally be reoriented by an applied external electric field. The electrically switchable nature of this polarization is at the core of various ferroelectric devices. The motion of the associated domain walls provide the basis for ferroelectric memory, in which the storage of data bits is achieved by driving domain walls that separate regions with different polarization directions. Here we show the surprising ability to move ferroelectric domain walls of BaTiO3 single crystal by varying the polarization angle of a coherent light source. This unexpected coupling between polarized light and ferroelectric polarization modifies the stress induced in the BaTiO3 at the domain walls, which is observed using in-situ confocal Raman spectroscopy. this effect potentially leads to the non-contact remote control of ferroelectric domain walls by light.