Formation of stable induced domains at charged domain boundary in lithium niobate using scanning probe microscopy

The influence of a charged domain wall on the formation of the induced domain structures in congruent x-cut lithium niobate crystals (LiNbO₃) is studied. By diffusion annealing in air ambient near Curie temperature, as well as infrared annealing in oxygen-free ambient bi- and multidomain ferroelectric structures containing charged domain walls «head-to-head» and «tail-to-tail» were formed. By Kelvin probe mode of atomic force microscopy (AFM) surface potential near the charged domain walls was investigated. We studied surface needle-shaped induced microdomains which were formed in a vicinity of the domain boundary and far from it by applying of voltage to the cantilever being in a contact with the surface of the sample. Dependence of morphology of the induced domain structure on the crystal’s electric conductivity was demonstrated. Screening effect of charged «head-to-head» domain wall on a shape and size of the domain, that was induced near the boundary is shown. We described partition of the single needle-shaped domains formed by AFM cantilever to several microdomains having a shape of several beams based in a common nucleation point. We found an influence of the charged domain wall on the topography of the samples, which consisted in the appearance of a long groove corresponding to the domain boundary after the reducing annealing.

lithium niobate, bidomain crystal, charged domain wall, diffusion annealing, piezoresponse force microscopy, surface potential

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