Heterogeneous ferroelectricity and conductivity of oxidized BaTiO$_3$ crystals: the role of nanoscale phase segregation in the surface region

We investigate the effect of thermal oxidation on BaTiO$_3$ single crystals.

We investigate the effect of thermal oxidation on BaTiO$_3$ single crystals. Our results reveal that, even at moderate temperatures of up to 1000 °C, complex segregation mechanisms occur involving the movement of Ba-rich compounds to the upper surface, where they form…