NONDESTRUCTIVE IMAGING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF FERROELECTRIC DOMAINS IN PERIODICALLY POLED CRYSTALS

Citation
Lm. Eng et al., NONDESTRUCTIVE IMAGING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF FERROELECTRIC DOMAINS IN PERIODICALLY POLED CRYSTALS, Journal of applied physics, 83(11), 1998, pp. 5973-5977
Citations number
34
Categorie Soggetti
Physics, Applied
Journal title
ISSN journal
00218979
Volume
83
Issue
11
Year of publication
1998
Part
1
Pages
5973 - 5977
Database
ISI
SICI code
0021-8979(1998)83:11<5973:NIACOF>2.0.ZU;2-X
Abstract
We report the nondestructive investigation and visualization of period ically poled domains in ferroelectric potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP ) crystals using polarization sensitive scanning force microscopy (SFM ). Applying an alternating voltage technique to SFM allows ferroelectr ic domain wall resolution beyond 100 nm. Image contrast between KTP an d Rb doped KTP, i.e., rubidium titanyl phosphate (RTP) regions arises from the differential piezoelectric response. We find the polarization vectors in both KTP and RTP to be aligned parallel to the negative z axes as deduced (a) when comparing our data with a ferroelectric refer ence sample, i.e., tri-glycine sulfate (b) from comparison of nanoscal e hysteresis loops recorded on KTP and RTP, and (c) from direct domain switching in KTP applying very high electric fields between tip and c ounter electrode. The latter experiments show that nanoscale ferroelec tric domains in KTP switch from the negative to the positive z-axes al ignment for electric fields stronger than 750 V/cm. Nevertheless, spon taneous backswitching is observed after a couple of minutes. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(98)06511-6].