A possible route to the quantification of piezoresponse force microscopy through correlation with electron backscatter diffraction

The functional properties of ferroelectric ceramic bulk or thin film materials are strongly influenced by their nano-structure, crystallographic orientation and structural geometry. In this paper, we present a possible route to quantification of piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) by combining it with textural analysis, through electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD). Quantitative measurements of the piezoelectric properties can be made at a scale of 25 nm, smaller than the domain size. The combined technique is used to resolve the effective single crystal piezoelectric response of individual crystallites in polycrystalline lead zirconate titanate (PZT). The piezoresponse results are quantified via two methods and these are compared to the piezoresponse predicted by a model. The results are encouraging for the quantification of the PFM technique and promote it as a tool for the future development of new nano-structured ferroelectric materials such as memory, nano-actuators and sensors. Knowledge of the orientation at the nanoscale allows for a method of quantification of the PFM signals and is being pursued as one method with which to potentially provide standards for PFM. This pre-standards work continues under a new VAMAS (Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards) initiative. Standardization will provide a way to meaningfully compare values recorded with the PFM technique, which has become an important tool in the characterization of piezoelectric and ferroelectric materials.