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Using the nanometric resolution of atomic force microscopy techniques, this work explores the rich fundamental physics and novel functionalities of domain walls in ferroelectric materials, the nanoscale interfaces separating regions of differently oriented spontaneous polarization. Due to the local symmetry-breaking caused by the change in polarization, domain walls are found to possess an unexpected lateral piezoelectric response, even when this is symmetry-forbidden in the parent material. This has interesting potential applications in electromechanical devices based on ferroelectric domain patterning. Moreover, electrical conduction is shown to arise at domain walls in otherwise insulating lead zirconate titanate, the first such observation outside of multiferroic bismuth ferrite, due to the tendency of the walls to localize defects. The role of defects is then explored in the theoretical framework of disordered elastic interfaces possessing a characteristic roughness scaling and complex dynamic response. It is shown that the heterogeneous disorder landscape in ferroelectric thin films leads to a breakdown of the usual self-affine roughness, possibly related to strong pinning at individual defects. Finally, the roles of varying environmental conditions and defect densities in domain switching are explored, and shown to be adequately modelled as a competition between screening effects and pinning.

Domain structure. --- Lead zirconate titanate. --- Ferroelectric crystals. --- Ferroelectric thin films. --- Atomic force microscopy. --- Domain configuration --- Ferromagnetic domain --- Magnetic domain --- Crystals --- Ferroelectricity --- Ferromagnetism --- Magnetic bubbles --- AFM (Microscopy) --- Scanning probe microscopy --- Thin films --- Ferroelectrics --- Lead titanate zirconate --- Lead titanium zirconium oxide --- Lead zirconium titanate --- Plumbum zirconate-titanate --- PZT (Piezoelectric ceramics) --- Lead compounds --- Oxides --- Piezoelectric ceramics --- Titanium compounds --- Zirconates --- Optical materials. --- Nanotechnology. --- Surface and Interface Science, Thin Films. --- Optical and Electronic Materials. --- Spectroscopy and Microscopy. --- Nanoscale Science and Technology. --- Molecular technology --- Nanoscale technology --- High technology --- Optics --- Materials --- Surfaces (Physics). --- Interfaces (Physical sciences). --- Thin films. --- Electronic materials. --- Spectroscopy. --- Microscopy. --- Nanoscale science. --- Nanoscience. --- Nanostructures. --- Nanoscience --- Physics --- Nano science --- Nanoscale science --- Nanosciences --- Science --- Analysis, Microscopic --- Light microscopy --- Micrographic analysis --- Microscope and microscopy --- Microscopic analysis --- Optical microscopy --- Analysis, Spectrum --- Spectra --- Spectrochemical analysis --- Spectrochemistry --- Spectrometry --- Spectroscopy --- Chemistry, Analytic --- Interferometry --- Radiation --- Wave-motion, Theory of --- Absorption spectra --- Light --- Spectroscope --- Electronic materials --- Surface chemistry --- Surfaces (Physics) --- Surfaces (Technology) --- Films, Thin --- Solid film --- Solid state electronics --- Solids --- Coatings --- Thick films --- Qualitative --- Analytical chemistry --- Interfaces (Physical sciences) --- Electronics --- Spectrum analysis. --- Materials.