Abstract
Nonlinear dynamics underpin a vast array of physical phenomena ranging from interfacial motion to jamming transitions. In many cases, insight into the nonlinear behavior can be gleaned through exploration of higher order harmonics. Here, a method using band excitation scanning probe microscopy (SPM) to investigate higher order harmonics of the electromechanical response, with nanometer scale spatial resolution is presented. The technique is demonstrated by probing the first three harmonics of strain for a Pb(Zr1-xTix)O3 (PZT) ferroelectric capacitor. It is shown that the second order harmonic response is correlated with the first harmonic response, whereas the third harmonic is not. Additionally, measurements of the second harmonic reveal significant deviations from Rayleigh-type models in the form of a much more complicated field dependence than is observed in the spatially averaged data. These results illustrate the versatility of nth order harmonic SPM detection methods in exploring nonlinear phenomena in nanoscale materials.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 2677 |
Journal | Scientific Reports |
Volume | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 17 2013 |
Funding
STM and DM gratefully acknowledge support from the National Science Foundation (DMR 1005771) and a National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellowship. R.K.V., M.B.O. and N.V. acknowledge support from the ARC Discovery Project scheme. R.K.V. and V.N. acknowledge an Overseas Travel Fellowship by the Australian Nanotechnology Network and the user facilities at ORNL-CNMS under user proposal No. 2011–281. The research at ORNL (Y.K., S.J., S.V.K.) was conducted at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, which is sponsored at Oak Ridge National Laboratory by the Division of Scientific User Facilities, U.S. Department of Energy.