Quantitative analysis of ferroelectric domain imaging with piezoresponse force microscopy

Abstract

The contrast mechanism for ferroelectric domain imaging via piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) is investigated. A vectorial description of PFM measurements is presented which takes into account the background caused by the experimental setup. This allows a quantitative, frequency independent analysis of the domain contrast which is in good agreement with the expected values for the piezoelectric deformation of the sample and satisfies the generally required features of PFM imaging. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.