In one embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus having a cantilever structure to move in a vertical direction, including a grounded cantilever body and a conductive tip, a vertical actuation electrode to actuate the cantilever to cause the conductive tip to contact a ferroelectric media surface, an AC electrostatic drive electrode to produce electrostatic forces to cause the cantilever structure to vibrate, and a sensing trace coupled with the conductive tip to sense charge generated by the ferroelectric media surface in response to a force applied by the conductive tip. Other embodiments are described and claimed.