Domain and Microstructural Characterization of Ferroelectric Materials Using Transmission Electron Microscopy

Abstract

Ferroelectric materials exhibit many intriguing properties, and their microstructures play very important roles. In this article, domain formation, microstructural features and domain dynamics in ferroelectric materials were investigated using optical microscopy and electron microscopy. Domain arrangements and their characteristics significantly influence their polarization switchability and therefore electrical properties. 90° domain boundaries inclined or perpendicular to applied electric field may dissociate into new boundaries showing zig-zag characteristics. If new boundaries extended and intersected with other domain boundaries, high static electric energy polarization configuration (head-to-head or tail-to-tail) and lattice distortion can be produced, which seriously degrade material properties. The experimental results imply that suppression of domain multiplication may be necessary for many applications to prevent materials from degradation.