Scanning force microscopy as a tool for nanoscale study of ferroelectric domains

Abstract

Scanning force microscopy (SFM) has been used for studying surface morphology of solids for almost ten years. Recently the possibility of ferroelectric domain imaging by SFM was reported. In the present study we exploit SFM for visualization and control of domain structure in ferroelectrics at the nanometer scale. An advanced technique for domain imaging based on the detection of piezoelectric vibration of the ferroelectric sample is presented. The study involves the use of thin films of lead titanate, lead zircon ate titanate and single crystals of barium titanate and lithium niobate. A conductive SFM tip was used to write and image ferroelectric domain patterns with an average resolvable spacing down to 30 nm.