Polarization-modulated rectification at ferroelectric surfaces

ORAL

Abstract

By correlating room temperature conductive atomic force microscopy (c-AFM) with low temperature electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) images taken at different temperatures but the same location, we demonstrate that nanoscale electric conduction between a sharp tip and the surface of ferroelectric HoMnO$_3$ is intrinsically modulated by the polarization of ferroelectric domains. Conductance spectra reveal that the electric conduction is described by polarization-induced Schottky-like rectification at low bias, but dominated by a space-charge limited conduction mechanism at high bias. Our observation demonstrates visualization ferroelectric domain structure by electric conduction, which may be used for non-destructive read-out of nanoscale ferroelectric memories or sensors.

*This work was supported by NSF-DMR-0844807.

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Authors

  • Weida Wu

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ
    • Rutgers University
    • Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials \& Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University

  • Y. Horibe

    • Rutgers University
    • Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials \& Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University

  • S. Park

  • T. Choi

  • S.-W. Cheong

    • Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854
    • Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials
    • Rutgers University
    • Department of Physics, Rutgers Univeristy
    • Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
    • Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials \& Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University

  • S.B. Kim

    • Laboratory of Pohang Emergent Materials and Department of Physics, Pohang University of Science and Technology - Pohang 790-784, South Korea

  • Jeffrey Guest

    • Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory
    • Argonne National Laboratory

  • Matthias Bode

    • Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory
    • Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439 USA
    • Argonne National Laboratory