Piezo and Ferroelectrics

Electromechanical coupling is a mechanism underlying the functionality of many materials. Piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) characterizes this behavior by using the AFM tip to locally apply an electrical stimulus to the sample and simultaneously measuring its mechanical response, on the order of ~1 – 100 pm/V. Asylum AFMs provide crosstalk-free, high sensitivity PFM measurements using a variety of advanced and unique measurement techniques. Sensitivity can be further enhanced by using large tip bias voltages, up to ±150 V on Cypher™ and up to ±220 V  on MFP-3D™. These techniques are also compatible with many accessories including heating, applied magnetic fields, and controlled gas and liquid environments. These exclusive capabilities have made Asylum Research the recognized world leader in commercial PFM technology.

 

Many materials exhibit electromechanical coupling, broadly grouped into piezoelectrics, ferroelectrics, and certain biological materials. These materials are often studied to understand their fundamental material science, but are also relevant to applied technologies, including:

 

MEMS, sensors & actuators, energy storage & harvesting, RF filters and switches, sonar

Non-volatile memory, data storage devices, ultrasonic transducers, infrared imaging

Cardiac signaling, auditory responses, cell signaling, biosensors