title: Charge collection kinetics on ferroelectric polymer surface using charge gradient microscopy.
abstract: A charge gradient microscopy (CGM) probe was used to collect surface screening charges on poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)] thin films. These charges are naturally formed on unscreened ferroelectric domains in ambient condition. The CGM data were used to map the local electric current originating from the collected surface charges on the poled ferroelectric domains in the P(VDF-TrFE) thin films. Both the direction and amount of the collected current were controlled by changing the polarity and area of the poled domains. The endurance of charge collection by rubbing the CGM tip on the polymer film was limited to 20 scan cycles, after which the current reduced to almost zero. This degradation was attributed to the increase of the chemical bonding strength between the external screening charges and the polarization charges. Once this degradation mechanism is mitigated, the CGM technique can be applied to efficient energy harvesting devices using polymer ferroelectrics.
authors.affiliation: Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA.
authors.forename: Yoon-Young
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Nanoscience and Technology Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA.
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ducharme
authors.affiliation: Nanoscience and Technology Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roelofs
authors.affiliation: Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA.
authors.forename: Seungbum
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hong