Observation of a stable fractionalized polar skyrmionlike texture with giant piezoelectric response enhancement

Abstract

We report the creation of stable fractionalized polar skyrmionlike structures via flexoelectric effect in a prototypical multiferroic BiFeO3 thin film, which are directly imaged by angle-resolved piezoresponse force microscopy technique. We also demonstrate an approach to enhance piezoresponse at the nanoscale. Phase-field simulations reveal that a tip-driven flexoelectric effect allows the formation of an ordered polar skyrmionlike configuration that is topologically protected by the converse flexoelectric effect. Our findings open up avenues for designing and controlling spatially localized topological textures in rhombohedral ferroelectrics, and also could contribute to future developments for ferroelectric-based nanoelectronic devices.