Sol-Gel Derived Ferroelectric Nanoparticles Investigated by Piezoresponse Force Microscopy

TL;DR

This study uses piezoresponse force microscopy to analyze the ferroelectric properties of sol-gel derived LiNbO₃ nanoparticles, including their polarization directions and behavior at the single-particle level.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive PFM-based methodology for characterizing ferroelectricity and polarization directions in sol-gel derived nanoparticles.

Findings

Confirmed ferroelectric behavior of individual nanoparticles

Demonstrated polarization direction determination via sample rotation

Provided statistical analysis of ferroelectric properties across large areas

Abstract

Piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) was used to investigate the ferroelectric properties of sol-gel derived LiNbO$_3$ nanoparticles. To determine the degree of ferroelectricity we took large-area images and performed statistical image-analysis. The ferroelectric behavior of single nanoparticles was verified by poling experiments using the PFM tip. Finally we carried out simultaneous measurements of the in-plane and the out-of-plane piezoresponse of the nanoparticles, followed by measurements of the same area after rotation of the sample by 90$^{\circ}$ and 180$^{\circ}$. Such measurements basically allow to determine the direction of polarization of every single particle.