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Ferroelectric materials have remained one of the foci of condensed matter physics and materials science for over 50 years. In the last 20 years, the development of voltage-modulated scanning probe microscopy techniques, exemplified by…
Macroscopic properties of ferroelectric samples, including those in form of thin films, are, to large extent, influenced by their domain structure. In this paper the free energy is calculated for a plate-like sample composed of…
A number of aspects of magnetic force microscopy (MFM) specific to the imaging of hard magnetic films have been studied. Firstly, we show that topographic images made in tapping mode with probes characterized by the moderate cantilever…
A phenomenological treatment of domain walls based on the Ginzburg-Landau-Devonshire theory is developed for uniaxial, trigonal ferroelectrics lithium niobate and lithium tantalate. The contributions to the domain wall energy from…
The newly-discovered ferroelectric nematic liquid crystal exhibits a variety of unique defect phenomena. The depolarization field in the material favors spontaneous spatial variations in polarization, manifesting in diverse forms such as…
Charged polar interfaces such as charged ferroelectric domain walls or heterostructured interfaces of ZnO/(Zn,Mg)O and LaAlO3/SrTiO3, across which the normal component of electric polarization changes suddenly, can host large…
Commercial atomic force microscopes usually use a four-segmented photodiode to detect the motion of the cantilever via laser beam deflection. This read-out technique enables to measure bending and torsion of the cantilever separately. A…
Given that a ferroelectric domain is generally a three dimensional entity, the determination of its area as well as its depth is mandatory for full characterization. Piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) is known for its ability to map the…
Ongoing advances in scanning probe microscopy techniques are continually expanding the possibilities for nanoscale characterization and correlated studies of functional materials. Here, we demonstrate how a recent extension of piezoresponse…
Noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) have become important tools for nanotechnology; however, their contrast mechanisms on the atomic scale are not entirely understood. Here we used chlorine…
Ferroelectric nanostructures can be formed by local switching of domains using techniques such as piezo-force microscopy (PFM). Understanding lateral size effects is important to determine the minimum feature size for writing ferroelectric…
Domain walls in ferroelectrics exhibit a plethora of phases and functionalities not found in the bulk. The interplay of electrostatic, chemical, topological, and distortive inhomogeneities at the walls can be so complex, however, that this…
The domain size dependence of piezoelectric properties of ferroelectrics is investigated using a continuum Ginzburg-Landau model that incorporates the long-range elastic and electrostatic interactions. Microstructures with desired domain…
The technique of spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy is investigated for its use in determining fine details of surface magnetic structure down to the atomic scale. As a model sample, the row-wise anti-ferromagnetic Mn3N2(010)…
For over 70 years, ferroelectric materials have been remaining one of the central research topics for condensed matter physics and material science, the interest driven both by fundamental science and applications. However, ferroelectric…
In studies using piezoresponse force microscopy, we observe a non-zero lateral piezoresponse at 180$^\circ$ domain walls in out-of-plane polarized, c-axis-oriented tetragonal ferroelectric Pb(Zr$_{0.2}$Ti$_{0.8}$)O$_3$ epitaxial thin films.…
Direct electron detectors in scanning transmission electron microscopy give unprecedented possibilities for structure analysis at the nanoscale. In electronic and quantum materials, this new capability gives access to, for example, emergent…
Domains walls and topological defects in ferroelectric materials have emerged as a powerful new paradigm for functional electronic devices including memory and logic. Similarly, wall interactions and dynamics underpin a broad range of…
The quest to understand correlated electronic systems has pushed the frontiers of experimental measurements toward the development of new experimental techniques and methodologies. Here we use a novel home-built uniaxial-strain device…
Ferroelectric switching and nanoscale domain dynamics were investigated using atomic force microscopy on monocrystalline Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 thin films. Measurements of domain size versus writing time reveal a two-step domain growth mechanism,…