Abstract
Ferroelectric domain walls are a completely new type of functional interface, which have the potential to revolutionize nanotechnology. In addition to the emergent phenomena at domain walls, they are spatially mobile and can be injected, positioned, and deleted on demand, giving a new degree of flexibility that is not available at conventional interfaces. Progress in the field is closely linked to the development of modern microscopy methods, which are essential for studying their physical properties at the nanoscale. In this article, we discuss scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as a powerful and highly flexible imaging technique for scale-bridging studies on domain walls, continuously covering nano- to mesoscopic length scales. We review seminal SEM experiments on ferroelectric domains and domain walls, provide practical information on how to visualize them in modern SEMs, and provide a comprehensive overview of the models that have been proposed to explain the contrast formation in SEM. Going beyond basic imaging experiments, recent examples for nano-structuring and correlated microscopy work on ferroelectric domain walls are presented. Other techniques, such as 3D atom probe tomography, are particularly promising and may be combined with SEM in the future to investigate individual domain walls, providing new opportunities for tackling the complex nanoscale physics and defect chemistry at ferroelectric domain walls.
Authors
4
- K. A. Hunnestad (first)
- E. D. Roede (additional)
- A. T. J. van Helvoort (additional)
- D. Meier (additional)
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Dates
Type | When |
---|---|
Created | 4 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 17, 2020, 7:35 a.m.) |
Deposited | 2 months, 3 weeks ago (May 27, 2025, 3:16 p.m.) |
Indexed | 1 day, 20 hours ago (Aug. 19, 2025, 6:50 a.m.) |
Issued | 4 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 17, 2020) |
Published | 4 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 17, 2020) |
Published Online | 4 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 17, 2020) |
Published Print | 4 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 21, 2020) |
Funders
4
Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet
10.13039/100009123
Region: Europe
gov (Universities (academic only))
Labels
4
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology
- The Norwegian University for Technology an Sciences
- Universidad Noruega de Ciencia y Tecnología
- NTNU
Awards
1
- Onsager Fellowship
Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet
10.13039/100009123
Region: Europe
gov (Universities (academic only))
Labels
4
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology
- The Norwegian University for Technology an Sciences
- Universidad Noruega de Ciencia y Tecnología
- NTNU
Awards
1
- Outstanding Academic Fellow Program
H2020 European Research Council
10.13039/100010663
Region: Europe
gov (National government)
Labels
17
- H2020 Excellent Science - European Research Council
- European Research Council
- H2020 Wissenschaftsexzellenz - Für das Einzelziel 'Europäischer Forschungsrat (ERC)'
- H2020 Ciencia Excelente - Consejo Europeo de Investigación (CEI)
- H2020 Excellence Scientifique - Conseil européen de la recherche (CER)
- H2020 Eccellenza Scientifica - Consiglio europeo della ricerca (CER)
- H2020 Doskonała Baza Naukowa - Europejska Rada ds. Badań Naukowych (ERBN)
- EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council
- WISSENSCHAFTSEXZELLENZ - Für das Einzelziel 'Europäischer Forschungsrat
- CIENCIA EXCELENTE - Consejo Europeo de Investigación
- EXCELLENCE SCIENTIFIQUE - Conseil européen de la recherche
- ECCELLENZA SCIENTIFICA - Consiglio europeo della ricerca
- DOSKONAŁA BAZA NAUKOWA - Europejska Rada ds. Badań Naukowych
- ERC
- CEI
- CER
- ERBN
Awards
1
- 863691
Research Council of Norway, NorFab
Awards
1
- 295864
@article{Hunnestad_2020, title={Characterization of ferroelectric domain walls by scanning electron microscopy}, volume={128}, ISSN={1089-7550}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0029284}, DOI={10.1063/5.0029284}, number={19}, journal={Journal of Applied Physics}, publisher={AIP Publishing}, author={Hunnestad, K. A. and Roede, E. D. and van Helvoort, A. T. J. and Meier, D.}, year={2020}, month=nov }