Imaging ferroelectric domains with a single-spin scanning quantum sensor


Date

2023-05

Publication Type

Journal Article

ETH Bibliography

yes

Citations

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Data

Abstract

The ability to sensitively image electric fields is important for understanding many nanoelectronic phenomena, including charge accumulation at surfaces and interfaces and field distributions in active electronic devices. A particularly exciting application is the visualization of domain patterns in ferroelectric and nanoferroic materials, owing to their potential in computing and data storage. Here, we use a scanning nitrogen-vacancy (NV) microscope, well known for its use in magnetometry, to image domain patterns in piezoelectric (Pb[Zr0.2Ti0.8]O3) and improper ferroelectric (YMnO3) materials through their electric fields. Electric field detection is enabled by measuring the Stark shift of the NV spin using a gradiometric detection scheme. Analysis of the electric field maps allows us to discriminate between different types of surface charge distributions, as well as to reconstruct maps of the three-dimensional electric field vector and charge density. The ability to measure both stray electric and magnetic fields under ambient conditions opens opportunities for the study of multiferroic and multifunctional materials and devices.

Publication status

published

Editor

Book title

Volume

19 (5)

Pages / Article No.

644 - 648

Publisher

Nature

Event

Edition / version

Methods

Software

Geographic location

Date collected

Date created

Subject

Organisational unit

03906 - Degen, Christian / Degen, Christian check_circle
03918 - Fiebig, Manfred / Fiebig, Manfred check_circle
02205 - FIRST-Lab / FIRST Center for Micro- and Nanoscience check_circle

Notes

Funding

817720 - Non-Invasive Imaging of Nanoscale Electronic Transport (EC)
185902 - QSIT - Quantum Science and Technology (SNF)
820394 - Advancing Science and TEchnology thRough dIamond Quantum Sensing (EC)
188414 - Multifunctional oxide electronics using natural ferroelectric superlattices (SNF)
196061 - Designing oxide electronics with light (SNF)

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