Fundamental study of surface layer on ferroelectrics by scanning nonlinear dielectric microscopy

Distribution and growth of very thin surface layers on ferroelectric materials are investigated by scanning nonlinear dielectric microscopy. This microscopy technique involves the measurement of higher order nonlinear dielectric constants, with depth resolution down to one unit cell order. By changing the order of nonlinearity of the dielectric response, we obtain information about the surface layer on lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin film and also observe the growth process of a surface paraelectric layer on LiNbO3 single crystal.