Friction force microscopy study of a cleaved ferroelectric surface: Time and temperature dependence of the contrast, evidence of domain structure branching

A freshly cleaved surface of ferroelectric triglycine sulfate (TGS) has been studied by scanning friction force microscopy. Well-defined areas, exhibiting a strong contrast difference, have been found just after cleavage in the ferroelectric phase. These regions correspond to different ferroelectric domains. ‘‘Interactions’’ between small regions and large negative domains are also observed leading us to conclude that these small features could be interpreted as nuclei of negative domains inside the positive one, evidence of the domain structure branching at the submicron scale.