In this work, we investigated the ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of two systems: $\mathrm{0.5BaZr_{0.2}Ti_{0.8}O_3–0.5Ba_{0.7}Ca_{0.3}TiO_3}$ (BZT-BCT) thick films and $\mathrm{CoFe_2O_4/(Ba_{0.95}Ca_{0.05})(Ti_{0.89}Sn_{0.11})O_3}$ (CFO/BCTS) composite nanorods. The investigation was carried out using advanced atomic force microscopy techniques. For the BZT-BCT thick films, we confirmed a homogeneous microstructure. Piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) demonstrated that the films exhibit a clear piezoelectric response, and domain switching characteristic of ferroelectricity was also observed.
PFM measurements of the CFO/BCTS composite nanorods revealed piezoelectric responses in both the vertical and lateral directions, confirming ferroelectric domain switching. The maximum local piezoelectric coefficient was determined to be d$_{33} \approx 6 \ \mathrm{\frac{pm}{V}}$. In addition, certain regions within the nanorods showed no piezoelectric activity, which correspond to the CFO phase.
These results highlight PFM as an indispensable tool for nanoscale characterization of ferroelectric materials. The findings provide valuable insights into the local electromechanical behavior of BZT-BCT thick films and CFO/BCTS nanorods and confirm their potential for applications in sensors and other functional devices.
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