AFM-based Functional Tomography-To Mill or not to Mill, that is the Question!

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Sharma, Niyorjyoti, Holsgrove, Kristina M., Dalzell, James, McCluskey, Conor J., He, Jilai, Meier, Dennis, Prabhakaran, Dharmalingam, Rodriguez, Brian J., McQuaid, Raymond G. P., Gregg, J. Marty, Kumar, Amit
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Sharma, Niyorjyoti
Holsgrove, Kristina M.
Dalzell, James
McCluskey, Conor J.
He, Jilai
Meier, Dennis
Prabhakaran, Dharmalingam
Rodriguez, Brian J.
McQuaid, Raymond G. P.
Gregg, J. Marty
Kumar, Amit
author_facet Sharma, Niyorjyoti
Holsgrove, Kristina M.
Dalzell, James
McCluskey, Conor J.
He, Jilai
Meier, Dennis
Prabhakaran, Dharmalingam
Rodriguez, Brian J.
McQuaid, Raymond G. P.
Gregg, J. Marty
Kumar, Amit
contents The electrical response of ferroelectric domain walls is often influenced by their geometry underneath the sample surface. Tomographic imaging in these material systems has therefore become increasingly important for its ability to correlate the surface-level functional response with subsurface domain microstructure. In this context, AFM-based tomography emerges as a compelling choice because of its simplicity, high resolution and robust contrast mechanism. However, to date, the technique has been implemented in a limited number of ferroelectric materials, typically to depths of a few hundred nanometers or on relatively soft materials, resulting in an unclear understanding of its capabilities and limitations. In this work, AFM tomography is carried out in YbMnO3, mapping its complex domain microstructure up to a depth of around 1.8 um along with its current pathways. A model is presented, describing the impact of interconnected domain walls within the network, which act as current dividers and codetermine how currents distribute. Finally, challenges such as tip-blunting and subsurface amorphisation are identified through TEM studies, and strategies to address them are also put forward. This study highlights the potential of AFM tomography and could spur interest within the ferroics community for its use in the investigation of similar material systems.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2410_10043
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle AFM-based Functional Tomography-To Mill or not to Mill, that is the Question!
Sharma, Niyorjyoti
Holsgrove, Kristina M.
Dalzell, James
McCluskey, Conor J.
He, Jilai
Meier, Dennis
Prabhakaran, Dharmalingam
Rodriguez, Brian J.
McQuaid, Raymond G. P.
Gregg, J. Marty
Kumar, Amit
Materials Science
The electrical response of ferroelectric domain walls is often influenced by their geometry underneath the sample surface. Tomographic imaging in these material systems has therefore become increasingly important for its ability to correlate the surface-level functional response with subsurface domain microstructure. In this context, AFM-based tomography emerges as a compelling choice because of its simplicity, high resolution and robust contrast mechanism. However, to date, the technique has been implemented in a limited number of ferroelectric materials, typically to depths of a few hundred nanometers or on relatively soft materials, resulting in an unclear understanding of its capabilities and limitations. In this work, AFM tomography is carried out in YbMnO3, mapping its complex domain microstructure up to a depth of around 1.8 um along with its current pathways. A model is presented, describing the impact of interconnected domain walls within the network, which act as current dividers and codetermine how currents distribute. Finally, challenges such as tip-blunting and subsurface amorphisation are identified through TEM studies, and strategies to address them are also put forward. This study highlights the potential of AFM tomography and could spur interest within the ferroics community for its use in the investigation of similar material systems.
title AFM-based Functional Tomography-To Mill or not to Mill, that is the Question!
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.10043