Nanoscale Visualization and Control of Ferroelectric Domains by Atomic Force Microscopy

Authors

Oleg Kolosov, Joint Research Center for Atom Technology, Angstrom Technology Partnership and National Institute for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research, 1-1-2, Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305, JapanFollow
Alexei Gruverman, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Jun Hatano, Science University of Tokyo
Koichiro Takahashi, National Institute for Research in Inorganic Materials, I - I Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305, Japan
Hiroshi Tokumoto, Joint Research Center for Atom Technology, Angstrom Technology Partnership and National Institute for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research, 1-1-2, Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305, Japan

Date of this Version

May 1995

Comments

Published in Physical Review Letters Volume 74, Number 21, 22 May 1995. Copyright © 1995 The American Physical Society. Used by permission.

Abstract

The nanoscale visualization and control of domain structure with atomic force microscopy (AFM) in the ferroelectric crystal guanidinium aluminum sulfate hexahydrate is reported. The origin of the domain contrast in the topographic of AFM images is explained by the piezoelectric deformation of the crystal surface in the internal electric field. The domain structure was modified by applying a voltage to the conductive AFM tip. The dynamics of domain growth has been directly observed for the first time with a resolution of 10 nm.