@article{33625, keywords = {thin films, film growth, Polarization, bismuth compounds, Single crystals, Ferroelectric switching, Electric field effects, Magnetic domains, Microscopic examination, Piezoelectric force microscopy, Epitaxial electrodes, Magnetoelectric domain imaging}, author = {P Shafer and F Zavaliche and Y.-H Chu and P.-L Yang and M.P Cruz and Ramamoorthy Ramesh}, title = {Planar electrode piezoelectric force microscopy to study electric polarization switching in BiFe O3}, abstract = {Piezoelectric force microscopy has been enhanced by coplanar epitaxial electrodes to detect and manipulate the striped ferroelectric domain structure of a multiferroic BiFe O3 thin film grown on single-crystalline DySc O3. Time-resolved imaging revealed ferroelastic (71° and 109°) switching of domains in a needlelike region that grew from one electrode toward the other in a uniform electric field, and demonstrated reversible rotation of the 71° domain stripe orientation in a nonuniform field. Purely ferroelectric (180°) switching was suppressed by the geometry of the electrodes. The extendibility of this apparatus opens the door toward magnetoelectric domain imaging. © 2007 American Institute of Physics.}, year = {2007}, journal = {Applied Physics Letters}, volume = {90}, number = {20}, publisher = {American Institute of Physics Inc.}, issn = {00036951}, doi = {10.1063/1.2741046}, note = {cited By 27}, language = {eng}, }