  Ferroelectric domain switching in c-axis-oriented epitaxial Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3
thin films was studied using different field geometries and compared to
numerical simulations and theoretical predictions. With carbon nanotubes as
electrodes, continuous nanodomains as small as 9 nm in radius in a 270 nm thick
film could be switched, remaining stable for over 20 months. Defect pinning of
domain walls appears to play a key role in stabilizing such domains, below the
predicted thermodynamic size limit.
