Ferroelectric liquid crystals (FLCs) couple the direction of their spontaneous electric polarization to the direction of tilt of their optic axis. Consequently, reversal of the electric polarization by an electric field gives rise to an immediate and lasting optical response when an appropriately aligned FLC is observed between crossed polarizers, with one field direction yielding a dark image and the opposite direction yielding a bright image. Here, this peculiar electro-optic response is used to image, with high optical contrast, 180° ferroelectric domains in a crystalline substrate of magnesium-doped lithium niobate. The lithium niobate substrate contains a few domains with upward electric polarization surrounded by regions with downward electric polarization. In contrast to a reference non-chiral liquid crystal that is unable to show ferroelectric behavior due to its high symmetry, the FLC, which is used as a thin film confined between the lithium niobate substrate and an inert aligning substrate, reveals ferroelectric domains as well as their boundaries, with strong black and white contrast. The results show that FLCs can be used for non-destructive readout of domains in underlying ferroelectrics, with potential applications in, e.g., photonic devices and non-volatile ferroelectric memories.
Skip Nav Destination
,
,
,
,
,
Article navigation
26 May 2020
Research Article|
May 26 2020
High-contrast imaging of 180° ferroelectric domains by optical microscopy using ferroelectric liquid crystals
Guillaume. F. Nataf
;
Guillaume. F. Nataf
a)
1
Department of Materials Science, University of Cambridge
, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, United Kingdom
Search for other works by this author on:
Mael Guennou
;
Mael Guennou
2
Department of Physics and Materials Science, University of Luxembourg
, 162a Avenue de la Faïencerie, 1511 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
3
Materials Research and Technology Department, Luxembourg Institute of Sciences and Technology
, 41 rue du Brill, 4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg
Search for other works by this author on:
Giusy Scalia;
Giusy Scalia
2
Department of Physics and Materials Science, University of Luxembourg
, 162a Avenue de la Faïencerie, 1511 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Search for other works by this author on:
Xavier Moya
;
Xavier Moya
1
Department of Materials Science, University of Cambridge
, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, United Kingdom
Search for other works by this author on:
Tim D. Wilkinson
;
Tim D. Wilkinson
4
Centre of Molecular Materials for Photonics and Electronics, Electrical Engineering Division, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge
, 9 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
Search for other works by this author on:
Jan P. F. Lagerwall
Jan P. F. Lagerwall
a)
2
Department of Physics and Materials Science, University of Luxembourg
, 162a Avenue de la Faïencerie, 1511 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Search for other works by this author on:
Guillaume. F. Nataf
1,a)
Mael Guennou
2,3
Giusy Scalia
2
Xavier Moya
1
Tim D. Wilkinson
4
Jan P. F. Lagerwall
2,a)
1
Department of Materials Science, University of Cambridge
, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, United Kingdom
2
Department of Physics and Materials Science, University of Luxembourg
, 162a Avenue de la Faïencerie, 1511 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
3
Materials Research and Technology Department, Luxembourg Institute of Sciences and Technology
, 41 rue du Brill, 4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg
4
Centre of Molecular Materials for Photonics and Electronics, Electrical Engineering Division, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge
, 9 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
Appl. Phys. Lett. 116, 212901 (2020)
Article history
Received:
March 30 2020
Accepted:
May 11 2020
Citation
Guillaume. F. Nataf, Mael Guennou, Giusy Scalia, Xavier Moya, Tim D. Wilkinson, Jan P. F. Lagerwall; High-contrast imaging of 180° ferroelectric domains by optical microscopy using ferroelectric liquid crystals. Appl. Phys. Lett. 26 May 2020; 116 (21): 212901. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0008845
Download citation file:
Pay-Per-View Access
$40.00
Sign In
You could not be signed in. Please check your credentials and make sure you have an active account and try again.
Citing articles via
Roadmap on photonic metasurfaces
Sebastian A. Schulz, Rupert. F. Oulton, et al.
Diamagnetic levitation of water realized with a simple device consisting of ordinary permanent magnets
Tomoya Naito, Tomoaki Suzuki, et al.
Charge localization in optoelectronic and photocatalytic applications: Computational perspective
Francesco Ambrosio, Julia Wiktor
Related Content
Domain wall motion in stoichiometric LiTaO3 induced by low-energy electron beam
Appl. Phys. Lett. (July 2019)
Back-scattered electron visualization of ferroelectric domains in a BiFeO3 epitaxial film
Appl. Phys. Lett. (November 2017)
Thermal-to-electric energy conversion using ferroelectric film capacitors
J. Appl. Phys. (October 2014)
Nanoparticle decoration of ferroelectric domain patterns in LiNbO 3 crystal
J. Appl. Phys. (March 2007)