IMF2017

The dynamics and reversibility of ferroelectric domains as a response to external excitations is attractive for a broad range of applications. Surface charge and strain play a significant role in affecting the domain dynamics, and hence has garnered much attention. Yet, the great experimental challenges associated with imaging the effect of these parameters on the domain dynamics have encumbered the understanding of the fundamental behavior of ferroelectricity at the atomic and nanometer scale. We have recently utilized a combination of experimental approaches to address the effects of surface charge and strain on the ferroic domain stability, including variable-temperature PFM and TEM as well as PFM in vacuum. Our preliminary results shade new light on the origin of ferroic domain stability.