The dipole orientation in ferroelectrics, such as LiNbO₃ and BaTiO₃, can be controlled via application of an electric field and this can in turn affect surface properties. In this project we have shown for both adsorbed organic molecules and metal atoms that adsorption energies and activation energies for surface reactions are a function of the dipole orientation. This is demonstrated by the accompanying Auger electron spectroscopy data for vapor-deposited Pd films on LiNbO₃(0001) which shows that both the growth mode and thermal stability of Pd films varies with polarization direction. Since the ferroelectric domains can be patterned on the nanoscale, this work suggests that it may be possible to selectively deposit metal atoms on specific domains, providing a new paradigm for the synthesis of nano-devices on the surfaces of ferroelectric metal oxides.

LiNbO₃