Ultrasonic atomic force microscopy of domain structure in lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate single crystal using a surface electrode pair

In order improve the ferroelectric properties of films for ferroelectric memories or relaxor single crystals for actuators, it is necessary to observe domain structures on the nanoscale. We propose an approach to observing three-dimensional 3D domain structures by ultrasonic atomic force microscopy (UAFM) with a subsurface observation capability. Moreover, it is sometimes necessary to observe the motion of the 3D domain structures under,an electric field. We propose for this case a method of applying an electric field using a surface electrode pair (SEP) in the observation plane of UAFM. When applying a field to a lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate [0.65Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-0.35PbTiO(3): PMN-PT] single crystal, reversible domain switching was observed at low fields, and irreversible switching with domain boundary (DB) motion was observed at high fields. In the latter case, the growth of the domain was observed with the subsurface DB motion. A SEP and UAFM are thus proved useful in evaluating the motion of domain structures in ferroelectrics.