SFM and EFM Studies on a Clay-Based Dielectric Nanocomposite

Yannick Mugnier (1) , Jérémy Teyssier , Ronan Le Dantec (1) , M. Moret (2) , Christine Galez (1) , Jacques Bouillot (1)

1 SYMME - Laboratoire SYstèmes et Matériaux pour la MEcatronique
2 UNIGE - Université de Genève = University of Geneva

A Laponite clay-based lithium iodate nanocomposite has been synthesized for non-linear optical applications. The surface morphology of dip-coated optical waveguides were analysed by Scanning Force Microscopy (SFM) techniques. Individual Laponite particles were first imaged by using Intermittent-Contact Atomic Force Microscopy on pure Laponite layers. Electrostatic Force Microscopy was then used on nanocomposite waveguides in order to obtain a "chemical contrast" of sample surface. The strong electrical contrast observed was attributed to sample topography and not to the different properties of each nanocomposite constituent. Finally, in ambient conditions, dip-coated layers were also shown to be sensitive to humidity which leads to the occurrence of surface lithium iodate crystals with sub-micrometer size.

Mots clés: Non-linear optical waveguides; Laponite; lithium iodate; Electrostatic Force Microscopy

Domaines: Matériaux et structures en mécanique [physics.class-ph]; Matériaux et structures en mécanique [physics.class-ph]

Yannick Mugnier, Jérémy Teyssier, Ronan Le Dantec, M. Moret, Christine Galez, et al.. SFM and EFM Studies on a Clay-Based Dielectric Nanocomposite. Ferroelectrics, 2005, 320, pp. 51-57. ⟨10.1080/00150190590966784⟩. ⟨hal-00258049⟩