Dynamic change in light-regulated hardness in SrTiO3
Abstract
We report our discovery of the dynamic change in light-regulated hardness in an SrTiO3 single crystal. Vickers hardness and atomic force microscope measurements reveal that the hardness is surprisingly increased and decreased with on and off irradiation for a (110), but unchanged for a (100) oriented single crystal. The dynamic change of light-regulated hardness is primarily governed by a higher concentration of photo-induced oxygen vacancies in the (110) crystal compared to the (100), as revealed by photoelectron spectroscopy. This work provides an undiscovered route toward controlling the dynamic change of hardness, which may offer alternative strategies to tune the localized deformations in polycrystalline metal oxides.
Article Details
Journal Info
Applied Physics Letters
American Institute of Physics
Authors (9)
Nant Nammahachak
Department of Tool and Materials Engineering, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi 1 , 126 Pracha Uthit Rd., Thung Khru, Bangkok 10140,
Manlika Sriondee
Tanachat Eknapakul
Functional Materials and Nanotechnology Center of Excellence, School of Science, Walailak University 4 , Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160,
Arunothai Rattanachata
Synchrotron Light Research Institute 5 , Nakhon Ratchasima 30000,
Hideki Nakajima
Synchrotron Light Research Institute (Public Organization) 111 University Avenue Muang District, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000 Thailand
James P. Best
Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials 6 , Max-Planck-Straße 1, 40237 Düsseldorf,
Worawat Meevasana
Narit Triamnak
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Technology, Silpakorn University 8 , Nakhon Pathom 73000,
Sutatch Ratanaphan
Department of Tool and Materials Engineering, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi 1 , 126 Pracha Uthit Rd., Thung Khru, Bangkok 10140,