Noncontact scanning nonlinear dielectric microscopy imaging of TiO2(110) surfaces

The authors simultaneously observed the typical topography and local electric dipole moment distribution of Ti atoms on a TiO2(110) 1x1 structure using noncontact scanning nonlinear dielectric microscopy (NC-SNDM). The upward polarization observed in polarization distribution images implies that the topography determined from the higher-order nonlinear dielectric constant signals is that of Ti4+. They also have examined the difference between the images formed by NC-SNDM and scanning tunneling microscopy. To acquire atomic resolution images using NC-SNDM, it was found that higher annealing temperatures were required. (C) 2010 American Vacuum Society. [DOI: 10.1116/1.3427661]