Charged domain walls in lithium niobate and lithium tantalate crystals with composition gradients

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The formation of charged domain walls (CDWs) in the bulk was studied in lithium tantalate LiTaO3 (LT) and lithium niobate LiNbO3 (LT) crystals with various composition gradients along the polar axis produced by partial vapor transport equilibration (VTE). Under the action of the pyroelectric field upon cooling after the phase transition, the shape of a CDW in LT changed significantly, in contrast to LN: the ledges appeared at CDW and grew toward the polar surfaces. The creation of tail-to-tail and head-to-head CDWs with controlled shape is important for various applications.