Abstract
High-resolution studies of domain configurations in Langmuir–Blodgett films offerroelectric polymer poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene), P(VDF-TrFE),have been carried out by means of piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM).Changes in film thickness and morphology cause significant variations inpolarization patterns. In continuous films and nanomesas with relatively lowthickness/grain aspectratio (<1/10), the relationship between the average domain size and thicknessfollows the Kittel law. Nanomesas with high aspect ratio (>1/5) exhibit significant deviations from this law, suggesting additional surface-energy-relatedmechanisms affecting the domain patterns. Polarization reversal within a single crystallitehas been demonstrated and local switching parameters (coercive voltage and remnantpiezoresponse) have been measured by monitoring the local hysteresis loops. Reliablecontrol of polarization at the sub-grain level demonstrates a possibility of studyingthe mechanism of the intrinsic switching behavior down to the molecular scale.
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