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O: Fachverband Oberflächenphysik

O 77: Methods: Scanning Probe Techniques I

O 77.2: Talk

Thursday, February 28, 2008, 15:45–16:00, MA 041

Detection of Ferroelectric Domain Boundaries with Lateral Force Microscopy — Tobias Jungk, Akos Hoffmann, and •Elisabeth Soergel — Institute of Physics, University of Bonn, Wegelerstrasse 8, 53115 Bonn, Germany

The contrast mechanism for the visualization of ferroelectric domain boundaries with lateral force microscopy is generally assumed to be caused by mechanical deformation of the sample due to the converse piezoelectric effect. We show, however, that electrostatic interactions between the charged tip and the electric fields arising from the surface polarization charges dominate the contrast mechanism. A quantitative estimate of the expected electrostatic forces as well as comparative measurements on LiNbO3 and KTP crystals sustain this explanation.