A. Gruverman et al., IMAGING AND CONTROL OF DOMAIN-STRUCTURES IN FERROELECTRIC THIN-FILMS VIA SCANNING FORCE MICROSCOPY, Annual review of materials science, 28, 1998, pp. 101-123
Scanning force microscopy (SFM) is becoming a powerful technique with
great potential both for imaging and for control of domain structures
in ferroelectric materials at the nanometer scale. Application of SFM
to visualization of domain structures in ferroelectric thin films is d
escribed. Imaging methods of ferroelectric domains are based on the de
tection of surface charges in the noncontact mode of SFM and on the me
asurement of the piezoelectric response of a ferroelectric film to an
external field applied by the tip in the SFM contact mode. This latter
mode can be used for nondestructive evaluation of local ferroelectric
and piezoelectric properties and for manipulation of domains of less
than 50 nm in diameter. The effect of the film thickness and crystalli
nity on the imaging resolution is discussed. Scanning force microscopy
is shown to be a technique well suited for nanoscale investigation of
switching processes and electrical degradation effects in ferroelectr
ic thin films.