Method and apparatus for detecting ferroelectric signal

• Main Authors: Hu, Wei-Shan, Lee, Jang-Jung, Gui, Dong
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 03.08.2021
• Subjects: APPLICATIONS OF SCANNING-PROBE TECHNIQUES, e.g. SCANNING PROBEMICROSCOPY [SPM]; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASURING; NANOTECHNOLOGY; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; SCANNING-PROBE TECHNIQUES OR APPARATUS; SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; TESTING; TRANSPORTING

A method of detecting a ferroelectric signal from a ferroelectric film and a piezoelectric force microscopy (PFM) apparatus are provided. The method includes following steps. An input waveform signal is generated, wherein the input waveform signal includes a plurality of read voltage steps with different voltage levels. The input waveform signal to the ferroelectric film is applied. An atomic force microscope probe scans over a surface of the ferroelectric film to measure a surface topography of the ferroelectric film. A deflection of the atomic force microscope probe is detected when the input waveform signal is applied to a pixel of the ferroelectric film to generate a deflection signal. Spectrum data of the pixel based on the deflection signal is generated. The spectrum data of the pixel is analyzed to determine whether the spectrum data of the pixel is a ferroelectric signal or a non-ferroelectric signal.