Thickness scaling of ferroelectricity in BiFeO3 by tomographic atomic force
microscopy
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Article Summary 1
Samuel D’Autruche
Article Summary 1
BIOL 111
Dr. Herbert
January 27, 2019
Thickness scaling of ferroelectricity in BiFeO3 by tomographic atomic force
microscopy
This article attempted to explain the significance of being able to map, in 3D and
at a resolution better than 350 nm3, the distribution of the electrical charges of a
multiferroic such as BiFeO3 through tomographic atomic force microscopy (TAFM).
The beginning of the article reviews previous methods for manipulating and
taking high-resolution images of ferroelectric domains at nanometer lengths. Methods
include using macroscopic measurements, surface-sensitive electron microscopy, and
piezo response force microscopy (PFM). The first two methods of imaging can only
image in 2D, but PFM can begin to capture ferroelectricity in 3D. When using PFM
alone, resolution is low, but combining PFM and AFM produces images with resolutions
up to 50 nm on a single plane.
This imaging revealed properties of multiferroics that may drive innovation in
electronics industries. A multiferroic is a compound that can have more than one electric
or magnetic property at the same time. In other words, the poles of individual molecules
within a portion of BiFeO3 do not have to be facing the same direction. The 3D TAFM
scans showed that sections up to 5 nm apart in any direction can have a different
alignment. This property may prove extremely useful in creating low-power memory for
the computer chips of the future.
References
Steffes, J. J., Ristau, R. A., Ramesh, R., & Huey, B. D. (2019). Thickness scaling of
ferroelectricity in BiFeO3 by tomographic atomic force microscopy. Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences. doi:10.1073/pnas.1806074116
Link to article: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1806074116