Piezo-generated charge mapping revealed through direct piezoelectric force microscopy

While piezoelectrics and ferroelectrics are playing a key role in many everyday applications, there are still a number of open questions related to the physics of those materials. In order to foster the understanding of piezoelectrics and ferroelectric and pave the way to future applications, the nanoscale characterization of these materials is essential. In this light, we have developed a novel AFM based mode that obtains a direct quantitative analysis of the piezoelectric coefficient d33. This nanoscale tool is capable of detecting and reveal piezo-charge generation through the direct piezoelectric effect at the surface of the piezoelectric and ferroelectric materials. We report the first nanoscale images of the charge generated in a thick single crystal of Periodically Poled Lithium Niobate (PPLN) and a Bismuth Ferrite (BiFO3) thin film by applying a force and recording the current produced by the materials. The quantification of both d33 coefficients for PPLN and BFO are 13 +- 2 pC/N and 46 +- 7 pC/N respectively, in agreement with the values reported in the literature. This new mode can operate simultaneously with PFM mode providing a powerful tool for the electromechanical and piezo-charge generation characterization of ferroelectric and piezoelectric materials.