Nanoscale polarization manipulation and imaging of ferroelectric Langmuir-Blodgett polymer films

Authors

Brian J. Rodriguez, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Stephen Jesse, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryFollow
Sergei V. Kalinin, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TennesseeFollow
Jihee Kim, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Stephen Ducharme, University of NebraskaFollow
V.M. Fridkin, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Date of this Version

3-22-2007

Comments

Published by American Institute of Physics. Appl. Phys. Lett. 90, 122904 2007. © 2007 American Institute of Physics. Permission to use. http://apl.aip.org/.

Abstract

Piezoresponse force microscopy has been used to manipulate and image polarization of ferroelectric polymer Langmuir-Blodgett films at the nanoscale, achieving polarization control with a resolution below 50 nm and imaging resolution below 5 nm. Individual regions showed square polarization-voltage hysteresis loops, demonstrating bistability of the polarization state. Arbitrary polarization patterns could be repeatedly written and erased with a resolution of 25 to 50 nm, limited by grain size, demonstrating the potential for high-density data storage and retrieval at densities exceeding 250 Gbits/ in².