Flexoelectric Enhancement of Strain Gradient Elasticity Across a Ferroelectric-to-Paraelectric Phase Transition.

We study the temperature dependent elastic properties of Ba 0.8 Sr 0.2 TiO 3 freestanding membranes across the ferroelectric-to-paraelectric phase transition using an atomic force microscope. The bending rigidity of thin membranes can be stiffer compared to stretching due to strain gradient elasticity (SGE). We measure the Young's modulus of freestanding Ba 0.8 Sr 0.2 TiO 3 drumheads in bending and stretching dominated deformation regimes on a variable temperature platform, finding a peak in the difference between the two Young's moduli obtained at the phase transition. This demonstrates a dependence of SGE on the dielectric properties of a material and alludes to a flexoelectric origin of an effective SGE.