Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM)

^{KEYWORDS: Atomic Force Microscopy; AFM; NanoWizard; Piezoresponse Force Microscopy; PFM}

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) has been verified as a powerful tool for probing piezo-responsive structures and their functionality. Beside basic sample topography, detailed information about domain size, 3D polarization, and the switching behavior kinetics can be easily obtained in parallel which allows a widespread quantitative characterizations of such materials.

With Bruker's NanoWizard as a high resolution and versatile SPM base in combination with the powerful scripting capabilities of Bruker's AFM software, PFM can be integrated in the setup ranging from simple PFM imaging to even more sophisticated switching-hysteresis studies with a minimum of auxiliary equipment.

Readers can expect to learn about:

• The principle of Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM);
• Investigations of piezo-responsive structures by parallel acquisition of topography, domain size, 3D polarization, and switching behavior kinetics; and
• The versatility of the NanoWizard AFM and the powerful scripting capabilities of Bruker's AFM software to perform sophisticated PFM experiments