Switching of Ferroelectric Domains in (K,Na)NbO3 Strained Thin Films Investigated by in situ X-Ray Nanodiffraction

We intend to study the local switching mechanisms of ferroelectric domains in strained monoclinic (K,Na)NbO3 thin films by applying an external electric field. To correlate the switching behavior with local structural properties, in situ X-ray diffraction shall be performed using an approximately 100 x 100 nm2 X ray beam. This allows to visualize the temporal evolution of polarization domains and domain walls with high spatial resolution and, eventually, leads to a better understanding of the microscopic processes that determine the kinetics/dynamics of the domain walls.