Creation of domains and domain patterns on the nonpolar surface of Sr x Ba1 − x Nb2O6 crystals by atomic force microscopy

Abstract

Microdomains and microdomain patterns have been recorded by applying dc voltages to the probe of an atomic force microscope contacting the nonpolar surface in a barium-strontium niobate ferroelectric crystal. Processes of the formation of microdomains have been investigated. It has been shown that the frontal growth of domains on the nonpolar surface is described by a viscous-friction-type law. The features of the formation of stable domains associated with the back-switching effects have been revealed. Oppositely oriented domains (“head-to-head” and “tail-to-tail”) have been obtained in polydomain crystals. Domain gratings with the reciprocal vector G = 2Π/Λ (where Λ = 3.6 and 8 μm is the grating period), which is parallel and perpendicular to the polar Z axis, have been written by the vector lithography method. Gratings with G ‖ Z, which form a system of 180° linear domains of opposite signs (head to head and tail to tail), hold for no less than several days.