title: Enhancement of local piezoresponse in polymer ferroelectrics via nanoscale control of microstructure.
abstract: Polymer ferroelectrics are flexible and lightweight electromechanical materials that are widely studied due to their potential application as sensors, actuators, and energy harvesters. However, one of the biggest challenges is their low piezoelectric coefficient. Here, we report a mechanical annealing effect based on local pressure induced by a nanoscale tip that enhances the local piezoresponse. This process can control the nanoscale material properties over a microscale area at room temperature. We attribute this improvement to the formation and growth of β-phase extended chain crystals via sliding diffusion and crystal alignment along the scan axis under high mechanical stress. We believe that this technique can be useful for local enhancement of piezoresponse in ferroelectric polymer thin films.
authors: Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory , Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States.
authors: Yoon-Young
authors: YY
authors: Choi
authors: Pankaj
authors: P
authors: Sharma
authors: Charudatta
authors: C
authors: Phatak
authors: David J
authors: DJ
authors: Gosztola
authors: Yunya
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: Joonseok
authors: J
authors: Lee
authors: Byeongdu
authors: B
authors: Lee
authors: Jiangyu
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: Alexei
authors: A
authors: Gruverman
authors: Stephen
authors: S
authors: Ducharme
authors: Seungbum
authors: S
authors: Hong
keywords: P(VDF-TrFE); ferroelectric polymers; mechanical annealing effect; piezoresponse hysteresis loops