Formation and observation of ferroelectric domains in PbZr1-xTixO3(PZT) thin films using atomic force microscopy

Hyunjung Shin; Kyongmi Lee; Geunbae Lim; Jong up Jeon; Y. Eugene Pak; Seungbum Hong; Kwangsoo No

doi:10.1117/12.352782

12 July 1999 Formation and observation of ferroelectric domains in PbZr_1-xTi_xO₃ (PZT) thin films using atomic force microscopy

Hyunjung Shin, Kyongmi Lee, Geunbae Lim, Jong up Jeon, Y. Eugene Pak, Seungbum Hong, Kwangsoo No

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 3675, Smart Structures and Materials 1999: Smart Materials Technologies; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.352782
Event: 1999 Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials, 1999, Newport Beach, CA, United States

Abstract

Very small-sized ferroelectric domains were induced and observed using a modified atomic force microscopy (AFM). Bias voltage between a conductive AFM tip and a sol-gel processed PZT film caused the switching of small ferroelectric domains. ELectrostatic forces between the polarized area and the tip provide the imaging of the polarized small domains. Applying voltage with the opposite sign can depolarize the polarized area and the formation of a series of data dots was demonstrated. In addition, the retention phenomena of micron size domains in PZT films were investigated. The polarized images disappeared within a few days even without an application of voltage - often called the retention loss or failure. An empirical relationship between relaxation time, bit size and poling time is established and verified. Two operative processes for the retention loss are either the stray charge accumulation on the polarized surfaces or the stress relaxation of the piezoelectric films. An effective way of improving the retention characteristics is suggested. The experimental results obtained in this study provide substantial insight into the mechanism for the retention failure of the polarized domains as well as the polarization behavior in PZT films with a nanometer scale.

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Hyunjung Shin, Kyongmi Lee, Geunbae Lim, Jong up Jeon, Y. Eugene Pak, Seungbum Hong, and Kwangsoo No "Formation and observation of ferroelectric domains in PbZr_1-xTi_xO₃ (PZT) thin films using atomic force microscopy", Proc. SPIE 3675, Smart Structures and Materials 1999: Smart Materials Technologies, (12 July 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.352782

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