Nanodomain structures formation during polarization reversal in uniform electric field in strontium barium niobate single crystals

Abstract

We have studied the ferroelectric nanodomain formation in single crystals of strontium barium niobate Sr 0.61Ba 0.39Nb 2O 6 using piezoelectric force microscopy and Raman confocal microscopy. The nanodomain structures have been created by application of the uniform electric field at room temperature. Four variants of nanodomain structure formation have been revealed: (1) discrete switching, (2) incomplete domain merging, (3) spontaneous backswitching, and (4) enlarging of nanodomain ensembles. Kinetics of the observed micro- and nanodomain structures has been explained on the basis of approach developed for lithium niobate and lithium tantalate crystals. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.