No abstract

Domain growth under the electric field of an atomic force microscope (AFM) is studied by piezoresponse force microscopy in congruent single-crystal LiTaO3 and compared to a finite element method simulation. The model is based on the existence of a conductive top layer, being the water absorbed layer always present in AFM experiments in air, within which the electric potential can propagate beyond the tip contact area. As a result, the simulated domain growth demonstrates kinetics in agreement with experimental observations, thus underlying the active role of the water layer.