Local elasticity imaging of ferroelectric domains in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 single crystals by low-frequency atomic force acoustic microscopy

Low-frequency atomic force acoustic microscopy have been successfully developed based on the commercial AFM, and used to characterize local elasticity of ferroelectric domains in PMN-PT single crystals. The acoustic images of ferroelectric domain were firstly visualized by AFAM at low frequency below 10 kHz. The domain imaging mechanisms are ascribed to local contact stiffness difference of the individual domains in response to local elastic stress fields induced in the sample. Relationship between the local piezoelectricity and elasticity for ferroelectric domains of PMN-PT single crystals was revealed.