Understanding ferroelectric and structural phase transitions in oxide materials is essential for the development of next-generation electronic and photonic devices. In this article, Ludmila Leroy et al. investigate antiferrodistortive and ferroelectric phase transitions in freestanding SrTiO₃ thinfilms.
Using piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM), polarization dynamics were analyzed at cryogenic temperatures, revealing the relationship between structural transitions and ferroelectric behavior.
PFM hysteresis measurements were performed using a NANOSENSORS Platinum Silicide PtSi-FM AFM probe with a spring constant of 2.8 N/m. The AFM probe was operated in contact-resonance mode, enabling sensitive detection of electromechanical coupling and polarization switching.
These results demonstrate how NANOSENSORS AFM probes support high-resolution PFM measurements and contribute to the understanding of ferroelectric thinfilms.
Full citation:
Leroy, L.; Huang, S.-W.; Chiu, C.-C.; Ho, S.-Z.; Dössegger, J.; Piamonteze, C.; Chen, Y.-C.; Abreu, E.; Bombardi, A.; Yang, J.-C.; Staub, U.
Antiferrodistortive and Ferroelectric Phase Transitions in Freestanding Films of SrTiO₃.
Nano Letters 2025, 25(19), 7651–7657.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c05664
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