Figure 3: High-resolution BE-PFM and TEM studies.
From: Deterministic arbitrary switching of polarization in a ferroelectric thin film
Topography (0.5 × 0.5 μm) (a) and Lateral BE-PFM amplitude image (b) after poling with −11 V. Many small domains smaller than 50 nm in size can be seen in this image. The scale bar (black line) is 100 nm in length. (c) Strain mapping confirms the strain distribution is highly inhomogeneous around the CFO pillars, as indicated by the blue ripples that permeate the BFTO matrix. Such inhomogeneous stresses can cause the formation of nanodomains, due to the local disorder (analogous to nanodomains in MPB ferroelectrics, for example). Yellow scale bar, 10 nm. (d) Schematic of the lateral writing by the tip. As the negatively biased tip scans downwards, the polarization in the nanodomains align to the trailing field, which (vector) sum to the slow scan axis (SSA).
