Complementary evaluation of potential barriers in semiconducting barium titanate by electrostatic force microscopy and capacitance–voltage measurements

Electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) was used to directly image the impact of SiO₂ content variations on the grain boundary potential barriers in semiconducting BaTiO₃-based ceramics. The grain boundary barriers were shown to be significantly thinner and more pronounced as the amount of SiO₂ was increased from 0 to 5 mol%. The EFM results were confirmed by capacitance–voltage (C–V) measurements which proofs the accuracy of both methods and highlights their importance for gaining a better understanding of the interrelations between material composition and electrical properties.