Self-organizing formation of dendrite domain structures in lithium niobate and lithium tantalate crystals

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn the paper we review the self-organized formation of exotic dendrite-shape domain structures in ferroelectric single crystals. The main attention is paid to our recent detail experimental study of the dendrite domain growth during polarization reversal in stoichiometric lithium niobate LiNbO3 at elevated temperature and in congruent lithium tantalate LiTaO3 after pulse laser heating. Optical, confocal Raman, scanning electron, and piezoelectric force microscopy have been used for domain visualization at the surface and in the bulk. The key roles of isotropic domain growth at elevated temperature, correlated nucleation effect, and ineffective screening of the depolarization field have been revealed.