Numéro
J. Phys. IV France
Volume 08, Numéro PR9, December 1998
2nd European Meeting on Integrated Ferroelectrics
EMIF 2
Page(s) Pr9-201 - Pr9-204
DOI https://doi.org/10.1051/jp4:1998937
2nd European Meeting on Integrated Ferroelectrics
EMIF 2

J. Phys. IV France 08 (1998) Pr9-201-Pr9-204

DOI: 10.1051/jp4:1998937

Nanoscale domain switching and 3-dimensional mapping of ferroelectric domains by scanning force microscopy

L.M. Eng1, M. Abplanalp2, P. Günter2 and H.-J. Güntherodt1

1  Institute of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstr. 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
2  Institute of Quantum Electronics, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland


Abstract
Nanoscale switching of ferroelectric domains in Barium-titanate and Tri-Glycine Sulphate bulk single crystals is demonstrated at room temperature by scanning force microscopy. Oppositely polarised domains are created by choosing an adequate polarity for the dc voltage applied to the conductive tip : a positive bias at the tip results in the polarisation pointing into the crystal, and vice versa. Direct writing of lines measuring as small as 500 nm is demonstrated. Any structure written by this method is imaged with voltage modulated scanning force microscopy. Applying an ac voltage to the conductive tip reveals the electnc field at the sample surface originating from both in-plane and out-of-plane polarised domains in ferroic samples. With this method domain walls are resolved down to 80 nm.



© EDP Sciences 1998