Regensburg 2007 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Downloads | Help

DF: Fachverband Dielektrische Festkörper

DF 8: Dielectric and Ferroelectric Thin Films and Nanostructures II

DF 8.3: Talk

Wednesday, March 28, 2007, 15:30–15:50, H11

Electrostriction vs polarisation reversal in ferroelectric nanoislands — •Serge Röhrig and Andreas Rüdiger — Institut für Festkörperforschung, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich

Piezoresponse Force Microscopy plays an important role in the investigation of ferroelectric nanostructures. The contrast mechanism for vertical PFM comprises piezoelectric and electrostatic contributions nurturing the discussions which one is dominating. Scanning over c-axis oriented nanoislands leads to a pronounced lateral signal at the slops of the islands. This signal is virtually free of electrostatic contributions. Detecting the second harmonic response, we observe a clear transition from quadratic ( electrostriction) to linear ( polarisation reversal) behaviour as we exceed the coercive field. The microscopic interpretation suggests a new type of non-volatile ferroelectric memory.