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Title: Current and surface charge modified hysteresis loops in ferroelectric thin films

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4927811· OSTI ID:1265701

Polarization domains in ferroelectric materials and the ability to orient them with an external electric field lead to the development of a variety of applications from information storage to actuation. The development of piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) has enabled researchers to investigate ferroelectric domains and ferroelectric domain switching on the nanoscale, which offers a pathway to study structure-function relationships in this important material class. Due to its commercial availability and ease of use, PFM has become a widely used research tool. However, measurement artifacts, i.e., alternative signal origins besides the piezoelectric effect are barely discussed or considered. This becomes especially important for materials with a small piezoelectric coefficient or materials with unknown ferroelectric properties, including non-ferroelectric materials. Here, the role of surface charges and current flow during PFM measurements on classical ferroelectrics are discussed and it will be shown how they alter the PFM hysteresis loop shape. This will help to better address alternative signal origins in PFM-type experiments and offer a pathway to study additional phenomena besides ferroelectricity.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1265701
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 118; ISSN 0021-8979
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 52 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Room temperature ferroelectricity of hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites with mixed iodine and bromine journal January 2018
Ferroelectric-like hysteresis loop originated from non-ferroelectric effects journal September 2016
Ferroelectric or non-ferroelectric: Why so many materials exhibit “ferroelectricity” on the nanoscale journal June 2017
Ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of Hf 1-x Zr x O 2 and pure ZrO 2 films journal May 2017
Enhanced piezoelectricity of thin film hafnia-zirconia (HZO) by inorganic flexible substrates journal July 2018
Electrostatic contribution to hysteresis loop in piezoresponse force microscopy journal April 2019
Effect of surface charges on the polarization of BaTiO 3 thin films investigated by UHVSPM journal May 2018
Dielectric relaxation and local domain structures of ferroelectric PIMNT and PMNT single crystals journal October 2019
Ferroelectric or non-ferroelectric: why so many materials exhibit ferroelectricity on the nanoscale preprint January 2017
Correlative Confocal Raman and Scanning Probe Microscopy in the Ionically Active Particles of LiMn2O4 Cathodes journal April 2019