GHz apertureless near-field scanning optical microscopy of ferroelectric nanodomain dynamics

Nanoscale domain dynamics of (Ba,Sr)TiO(3) thin films are investigated at microwave frequencies with a home-developed GHz-frequency apertureless near-field scanning optical microscope (GHz-ANSOM). Using a microwave phase-modulation technique, we decoupled topographic artifacts from the optical signal, providing an enhanced and background-free temporal response. Interleaved acquisition of images taken at sequential time intervals provides amplitude and phase information about the electrooptic response at <50 nm spatial resolution and <10 ps temporal resolution. The local microwave response is highly nonuniform in both the amplitude and the phase.