Mapping Disorder in Polycrystalline Relaxors: A Piezoresponse Force Microscopy Approach
Relaxors constitute a large class of ferroelectrics where disorder is introduced by doping with ions of different size and valence, in order to maximize their useful properties in a broad temperature range. Polarization disorder in relaxors is typically studied by dielectric and scattering technique...
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doaj-efab740719094d24bd75f035a487b1f22020-11-24T23:01:55ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442010-10-013114860487010.3390/ma3114860Mapping Disorder in Polycrystalline Relaxors: A Piezoresponse Force Microscopy ApproachSergei V KalininStephen JesseOleg OvchinnikovBrahim DkhilAndris SternbergAndrei L KholkinDmitry A KiselevIgor K BdikinRelaxors constitute a large class of ferroelectrics where disorder is introduced by doping with ions of different size and valence, in order to maximize their useful properties in a broad temperature range. Polarization disorder in relaxors is typically studied by dielectric and scattering techniques that do not allow direct mapping of relaxor parameters, such as correlation length or width of the relaxation time spectrum. In this paper, we introduce a novel method based on measurements of local vibrations by Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM) that detects nanoscale polarization on the relaxor surface. Random polarization patterns are then analyzed via local Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and the FFT PFM parameters, such as amplitude, correlation radius and width of the spectrum of spatial correlations, are mapped along with the conventional topography. The results are tested with transparent (Pb, La) (Zr, Ti)O3 ceramics where local disorder is due to doping with La3+. The conclusions are made about the distribution of the defects responsible for relaxor behavior and the role of the grain boundaries in the macroscopic response. http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/3/11/4860/PLZTrelaxorsPiezoresponse Force Microscopydomainsgrains |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Sergei V Kalinin Stephen Jesse Oleg Ovchinnikov Brahim Dkhil Andris Sternberg Andrei L Kholkin Dmitry A Kiselev Igor K Bdikin |
spellingShingle |
Sergei V Kalinin Stephen Jesse Oleg Ovchinnikov Brahim Dkhil Andris Sternberg Andrei L Kholkin Dmitry A Kiselev Igor K Bdikin Mapping Disorder in Polycrystalline Relaxors: A Piezoresponse Force Microscopy Approach Materials PLZT relaxors Piezoresponse Force Microscopy domains grains |
author_facet |
Sergei V Kalinin Stephen Jesse Oleg Ovchinnikov Brahim Dkhil Andris Sternberg Andrei L Kholkin Dmitry A Kiselev Igor K Bdikin |
author_sort |
Sergei V Kalinin |
title |
Mapping Disorder in Polycrystalline Relaxors: A Piezoresponse Force Microscopy Approach |
title_short |
Mapping Disorder in Polycrystalline Relaxors: A Piezoresponse Force Microscopy Approach |
title_full |
Mapping Disorder in Polycrystalline Relaxors: A Piezoresponse Force Microscopy Approach |
title_fullStr |
Mapping Disorder in Polycrystalline Relaxors: A Piezoresponse Force Microscopy Approach |
title_full_unstemmed |
Mapping Disorder in Polycrystalline Relaxors: A Piezoresponse Force Microscopy Approach |
title_sort |
mapping disorder in polycrystalline relaxors: a piezoresponse force microscopy approach |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Materials |
issn |
1996-1944 |
publishDate |
2010-10-01 |
description |
Relaxors constitute a large class of ferroelectrics where disorder is introduced by doping with ions of different size and valence, in order to maximize their useful properties in a broad temperature range. Polarization disorder in relaxors is typically studied by dielectric and scattering techniques that do not allow direct mapping of relaxor parameters, such as correlation length or width of the relaxation time spectrum. In this paper, we introduce a novel method based on measurements of local vibrations by Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM) that detects nanoscale polarization on the relaxor surface. Random polarization patterns are then analyzed via local Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and the FFT PFM parameters, such as amplitude, correlation radius and width of the spectrum of spatial correlations, are mapped along with the conventional topography. The results are tested with transparent (Pb, La) (Zr, Ti)O3 ceramics where local disorder is due to doping with La3+. The conclusions are made about the distribution of the defects responsible for relaxor behavior and the role of the grain boundaries in the macroscopic response. |
topic |
PLZT relaxors Piezoresponse Force Microscopy domains grains |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/3/11/4860/ |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT sergeivkalinin mappingdisorderinpolycrystallinerelaxorsapiezoresponseforcemicroscopyapproach AT stephenjesse mappingdisorderinpolycrystallinerelaxorsapiezoresponseforcemicroscopyapproach AT olegovchinnikov mappingdisorderinpolycrystallinerelaxorsapiezoresponseforcemicroscopyapproach AT brahimdkhil mappingdisorderinpolycrystallinerelaxorsapiezoresponseforcemicroscopyapproach AT andrissternberg mappingdisorderinpolycrystallinerelaxorsapiezoresponseforcemicroscopyapproach AT andreilkholkin mappingdisorderinpolycrystallinerelaxorsapiezoresponseforcemicroscopyapproach AT dmitryakiselev mappingdisorderinpolycrystallinerelaxorsapiezoresponseforcemicroscopyapproach AT igorkbdikin mappingdisorderinpolycrystallinerelaxorsapiezoresponseforcemicroscopyapproach |
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1725638332841459712 |