Formation of regular domain structures and peculiarities of switching of the spontaneous polarization in lithium tantalate crystals during discrete electron irradiation

Abstract

The processes of the formation of domain structures in lithium tantalate crystals (≈300 μm thick) under electron irradiation in a scanning electron microscope were studied. Successive discrete quasi-point irradiations with an electron beam over the —Z-cut surface were used. This method of drawing by an electron beam made it possible to control the implanted charge and to examine the influence of the distances between conditionally point charges on the domain structure formed during switching. The effect of change in the direction of the beam displacement under irradiation on the domain-line width was investigated. The domain lattice with a period of 12 μm was formed on the —z face of the crystal, which transformed into a 2D-type structure deep in the crystal.