@article{6d311bf0fef24c06b1619697b0c74561,
title = "Ferroelectric Domain Breakdown",
abstract = "We observe a stringlike domain penetration from a ferroelectric surface deep into the crystal bulk induced by a high voltage atomic force microscope tip. The domains, which resemble channels of an electrical breakdown, nucleate under an electric field of around [Formula presented] at the ferroelectric surface, and grow throughout the crystal bulk where the external electric field is practically zero. A theory explaining the shape of the formed domains is presented. It shows that the driving force for the domain breakdown is the decrease of the total free energy of the system with increasing domain length.",
author = "Michel Molotskii and Alex Agronin and Pavel Urenski and Maria Shvebelman and Gil Rosenman and Yossi Rosenwaks",
note = "Funding Information: The authors thank E. Glickman and A. Vilenkin for stimulating discussions on the mechanism of the domain breakdown, the financial support of both the Israeli Ministry of Science Culture and Sport, and the Nano?>science and Nanotechnology Center in Tel-Aviv University.",
year = "2003",
month = mar,
day = "14",
language = "אנגלית",
volume = "90",
pages = "107601/1--107601/4",
journal = "Physical Review Letters",
issn = "0031-9007",
publisher = "American Physical Society",
number = "10",
}