Scaling of piezoelectric properties in nanometre to micrometre scale

Measurements of piezoelectric response have been performed using atomic for ce microscopy (AFM) on sol-gel produced lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) thin films, upon which nanometre- to micrometre-scale electrodes haw been patter ned. It is found that the magnitude of the piezoelectric response as a func tion of the electrode size in the rang from a few nanometres up to 6 mu m c an he described accurately in terms of the fringing of the electric field a round the electrode edges.