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  1. AFM Home
  2. Application Detail
  3. AFM Tools for Piezoelectrics and Ferroelectrics Research

AFM Tools for Piezoelectrics and Ferroelectrics Research

piezoresponse force microscopy image taken with an Asylum Research scanning probe microscope

Piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) is an atomic force microscopy technique used to characterize electromechanical coupling in piezoelectric and ferroelectric materials. It characterizes the converse piezoelectric effect by applying an electrical bias locally to the sample through the AFM tip while simultaneously detecting the mechanical response. It measures both the piezoelectric coefficient (typically in the range of ~1 - 500 pm/V) and the polarization direction of the response.

Asylum Research is widely recognized as the global leader in commercial PFM technology. Over the years, we have been at the forefront of providing crosstalk-free, highly sensitive PFM measurements using advanced and proprietary measurement techniques. Our latest breakthrough in this field is the development of the Vero Interferometric AFM, which is based on interferometric cantilever displacement detection. This revolutionary AFM enables users to measure the d33 constant, a critical metric in ferroelectric materials characterization, with reproducible and artifact-free results.

The Vero AFMs represent the next generation of AFMs, offering precise and accurate measurement of true tip displacement through Quadrature Phase Differential Interferometry (QPDI). Building upon the exceptional stability and performance of the Cypher AFM family, our patented QPDI innovation allows Vero AFMs to deliver results with higher accuracy, precision, and repeatability. To learn more about how interferometric cantilever displacement detection and the new Vero AFM can improve PFM measurements, please access the resources below.

Ask an AFM expert for more information
  • Confidently measure the electromechanical response of your samples with our next-generation Vero Interferometric AFM. Lowest noise, artifact-free, highly reproducible.
  • Use Asylum Research’s Dual AC Resonance Tracking (DART) to achieve higher sensitivity PFM measurements with resonance enhancement.
  • High tip-bias voltage modules available for enhanced sensitivity - up to ±150 V on Cypher and Jupiter and up to ±220 V on The MFP‑3D Family AFMs (Origin, Origin+, and BIO).
  • Switching spectroscopy (standard or DART) to generate piezoresponse amplitude "butterfly" loops and phase "hysteresis" loops.
  • Built-in lithography tools to write domains and complex patterns. Tip bias can be varied continuously using the grayscale of an imported bitmap.
  • Vector PFM to reconstruct real space polarization orientation.
  • Compatible with various environmental stages and accessories to allow for heating and cooling, or to subject the sample to humidity, gas perfusion, or applied magnetic fields.

Piezoelectric Materials

  • Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)
  • Sensors and actuators
  • Energy storage and harvesting
  • RF filters and switches
  • Sonar
  • Balance and frequency standards
  • Giant k dielectrics
  • Capacitors

Ferroelectric Materials

  • Domain engineering
  • Non-volatile memory
  • Data storage devices
  • Domain energetics and dynamics

Fundamental Materials Science

  • Domains
  • Phase transitions and critical phenomena
  • Size effects
  • Nucleation dynamics
  • Multiferroics
  • Ferroelectric polymers
  • Liquid crystals
  • Composites
  • Relaxor ferroelectrics

Bio-electromechanics

  • Cardiac
  • Auditory
  • Cell signaling
  • Structural electromechanics
  • Biosensors
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Quantitative PFM of Scandium-Doped Aluminum Nitride
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Multiferroic Data Storage Solutions with AFM and EDS
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Characterizing Ferroelectric Response in Si-Doped HfO₂ Thin Films
Discussing how Vero’s QPDI detector provides inherent immunity to common artifacts and sources of measurement error for improved accuracy.

The Vero Interferometric AFM: Improvements in Accuracy and Precision
A comprehensive introduction to the field, covering recent developments and integrating the latest advances with established theory and practice.

Piezoresponse and Electrochemical Force Microscopy and Spectroscopy

"Metal-free three-dimensional perovskite ferroelectrics," H.-Y. Ye, Y.-Y. Tang, P.-F. Li, W.-Q. Liao, J.-X. Gao, X.-N. Hua, H. Cai, P.-P. Shi, Y.-M. You, and R.-G. Xiong, Science 361, 151 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aas9330

"Higher-eigenmode piezoresponse force microscopy: a path towards increased sensitivity and the elimination of electrostatic artifacts," G. A. MacDonald, F. W. DelRio, and J. P. Killgore, Nano Futures 2, 015005 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1088/2399-1984/aab2bc

"Domain-wall conduction in ferroelectric BiFeO3 controlled by accumulation of charged defects," T. Rojac, A. Bencan, G. Drazic, N. Sakamoto, H. Ursic, B. Jancar, G. Tavcar, M. Makarovic, J. Walker, B. Malic, and D. Damjanovic, Nat. Mater. 16, 322 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat4799

"Nanoscale domain imaging and local piezoelectric coefficient d33 studies of single piezoelectric polymeric nanofibers," X. Liu, M. Deng, and X. Wang, Mater. Lett. 189, 66 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2016.11.044

"Enhancing ion migration in grain boundaries of hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites by chlorine," B. Yang, C. C. Brown, J. Huang, L. Collins, X. Sang, R. R. Unocic, S. Jesse, S. V. Kalinin, A. Belianinov, J. Jakowski, D. B. Geohegan, B. G. Sumpter, K. Xiao, and O. S. Ovchinnikova, Adv. Funct. Mater. 27, 1700749 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201700749

"Multiferroic and magnetoelectric properties of BiFeO3/Bi4Ti3O12 bilayer composite films," J. Chen, Z. Tang, Y. Bai, and S. Zhao, J. Alloys Compd. 675, 257 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2016.03.119

"Ferroelastic fingerprints in methylammonium lead iodide perovskite," I. M. Hermes, S. A. Bretschneider, V. W. Bergmann, D. Li, A. Klasen, J. Mars, W. Tremel, F. Laquai, H.-J. Butt, M. Mezger, R. Berger, B. J. Rodriguez, and S. A. L. Weber, J. Phys. Chem. C 120, 5724 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.5b11469

"Room-temperature ferroelectricity in CuInP2S6 ultrathin flakes," F. Liu, L. You, K. L. Seyler, X. Li, P. Yu, J. Lin, X. Wang, J. Zhou, H. Wang, H. He, S. T. Pantelides, W. Zhou, P. Sharma, X. Xu, P. M. Ajayan, J. Wang, and Z. Liu, Nat. Commun. 7, 12357 (2016). https://doi.org/ 10.1038/ncomms12357

"Controlling domain wall motion in ferroelectric thin films," L. J. McGilly, P. Yudin, L. Feigl, A. K. Tagantsev, and N. Setter, Nat. Nanotechnol. 10, 145 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2014.320

"Ferroelectric polarization reversal via successive ferroelastic transitions," R. Xu, S. Liu, I. Grinberg, J. Karthik, A. R. Damodaran, A. M. Rappe, and L. W. Martin, Nat. Mater. 14, 79 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat4119

"Deterministic switching of ferromagnetism at room temperature using an electric field," J. T. Heron, J. L. Bosse, Q. He, Y. Gao, M. Trassin, L. Ye, J. D. Clarkson, C. Wang, J. Liu, S. Salahuddin, D. C. Ralph, D. G. Schlom, J. Iñiguez, B. D. Huey, and R. Ramesh, Nature 516, 370 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14004

"Tuning of the depolarization field and nanodomain structure in ferroelectric thin films," C. Lichtensteiger, S. Fernandez-Pena, C. Weymann, P. Zubko, and J.-M. Triscone, Nano Lett. 14, 4205 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1021/nl404734z

"Non-volatile memory based on the ferroelectric photovoltaic effect," R. Guo, L. You, Y. Zhou, Z. S. Lim, X. Zou, L. Chen, R. Ramesh, and J. Wang, Nat. Commun. 4, 1990 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms2990

"Ferroelectric-field-effect-enhanced electroresistance in metal/ferroelectric/semiconductor tunnel junctions," Z. Wen, C. Li, D. Wu, A. Li, and N. Ming, Nat. Mater. 12, 617 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat3649

"Ferroelectric order in individual nanometre-scale crystals," M. J. Polking, M.-G. Han, A. Yourdkhani, V. Petkov, C. F. Kisielowski, V. V. Volkov, Y. Zhu, G. Caruntu, A. P. Alivisatos, and R. Ramesh, Nat. Mater. 11, 700 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat3371

"Tunnel electroresistance in junctions with ultrathin ferroelectric Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 barriers," D. Pantel, H. Lu, S. Goetze, P. Werner, D. J. Kim, A. Gruverman, D. Hesse, and M. Alexe, Appl. Phys. Lett. 100, 232902 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4726120

"Structural and piezoelectric characteristics of BNT–BT0.05 thin films processed by sol–gel technique," M. Cernea, L. Trupina, C. Dragoi, B. S. Vasile, and R. Trusca, J. Alloys Compd. 515, 166 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2011.11.129

"Solid-state memories based on ferroelectric tunnel junctions," A. Chanthbouala, A. Crassous, V. Garcia, K. Bouzehouane, S. Fusil, X. Moya, J. Allibe, B. Dlubak, J. Grollier, S. Xavier, C. Deranlot, A. Moshar, R. Proksch, N. D. Mathur, M. Bibes, and A. Barthelemy, Nat. Nanotechnol. 7, 101 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2011.213

"High-resolution studies of domain switching behavior in nanostructured ferroelectric polymers," P. Sharma, T.J. Reece, S. Ducharme, and A. Gruverman, Nano Lett. 11, 1970 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1021/nl200221z

"Stretchable ferroelectric nanoribbons with wavy configurations on elastomeric substrates," X. Feng, B. D. Yang, Y. Liu, Y. Wang, C. Dagdeviren, Z. Liu, A. Carlson, J. Li, Y. Huang, and J. A. Rogers, ACS Nano 5, 3326 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1021/nn200477q

"Nanoscale switching characteristics of nearly tetragonal BiFeO3 thin films," D. Mazumdar, V. Shelke, M. Iliev, S. Jesse, A. Kumar, S. V. Kalinin, A. P. Baddorf, and A. Gupta, Nano Lett. 10, 2555 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1021/nl101187a

"Enhanced multiferroic properties and domain structure of La-doped BiFeO3 thin films," F. Yan, T. J. Zhu, M. O. Lai, and L. Lu, Scr. Mater. 63, 780 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scriptamat.2010.06.013

"Tunneling electroresistance effect in ferroelectric tunnel junctions at the nanoscale," A. Gruverman, D. Wu, H. Lu, Y. Wang, H. W. Jang, C. M. Folkman, M. Y. Zhuravlev, D. Felker, M. Rzchowski, C.-B. Eom, and E. Y. Tsymbal, Nano Lett. 9, 3539 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1021/nl901754t

"Dual-frequency resonance-tracking atomic force microscopy," B. J. Rodriguez, C. Callahan, S. V. Kalinin, and R. Proksch, Nanotechnology 18, 475504 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/18/47/475504

"Piezoelectric and semiconducting coupled power generating process of a single ZnO belt/wire. A technology for harvesting electricity from the environment," J. Song, J. Zhou, and Z. L. Wang, Nano Lett. 6, 1656 (2006). https://doi.org/ 10.1021/nl060820v

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