Abstract

Optoelectric control of domains is likely to pave the foundation for optoferroelectric devices. This work reports the combined effect of light and low-voltage electric bias for optoelectric control of ferroelectric domains in a semiconducting ceramic material—KNBNNO ((K_0.5Na_0.5)NbO₃ doped with 2 mol % Ba(Ni_0.5Nb_0.5)O_3−δ). The effect is utilized to achieve two orders of magnitude amplification in electrical response, asymmetric AC modulation, and domain velocities of 30 000 nm s^–1 with ultralarge domain switching areas of over 30 μm in fractions of a second. The charge injection due to light illumination on this material causes the tuning of material conductivity and acts as a virtual electrode. Based on this mechanism, a proof of concept for a monolithic ferroelectric light-effect transistor with a source and drain as electrical contacts with light acting as a virtual gate is demonstrated. This is likely to offer a potential solution to the scaling limit of conventional three-terminal transistors. The same device is also demonstrated to work as a photodiode, a half-wave rectifier, and an electrical output modulator.