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

Document Type

Article

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.