Contact-Resonance Piezoresponse Force Microscope and Its Application to Domain Observation of Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3Single Crystals

The domain-structure images of (001) plates of Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) single crystals were successfully obtained in a vacuum using a contact-resonance piezoresponse force microscope (CR-PFM). During conventional PFM observations at sufficiently high temperature, the modulation voltages applied between the tip and the counter electrode induced polarization reversals and destroyed local domain structures under the tip. With the help of the contact-resonance mode, piezoresponse images could be obtained with a reduced amplitude of the modulation signal, that addressed the issue of the polarization reversals at high temperature. Using this CR-PFM, circular domains 30–100 nm in diameter were observed at temperatures above 175°C.