Imaging of Nanometric Ferroelectric Domains in BaTiO₃ Using Atomic Force Acoustic Microscopy and Piezo Force Microscopy

The present work deals with study of local elastic and electromechanical response from a BaTiO₃ pellet using Atomic Force Acoustic Microscopy (AFAM) and Piezo Force Microscopy (PFM). A commercial multi-mode Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) was used for the above purpose. The AFAM mode was used to image contact stiffness. Stiffness parameters as well as young's modulii were quantitatively determined. PFM studies were based on electrostatic and electromechanical response from localized tip-surface contact. These investigations also yielded values of piezo coefficients and young's modulus. The Young's modulii obtained from AFAM and PFM were compared. In addition, poling behaviour, obtained by applying –10 V to +10 V local voltage, was analyzed from phase and amplitude contrast images.