We present a direct observation of nanoscale ferroelectric domain pinning centers in lithium niobate crystals. A high-voltage atomic force microscope has been used to tailor nanodomain structures in crystal with high defect concentration. Domain pinning and depinning events have been captured following thermally induced domain decay process. The pinning centers’ influence on the domain wall dynamics has been analyzed by comparing domain growth in stoichiometric and congruent crystals.
REFERENCES
1.
Y.
Lu
, T.
Wei
, F.
Duewer
, Y.
Lu
, N.
Ming
, P. G.
Schultz
, and X.-D.
Xiang
, Science
276
, 2004
(1997
).2.
X.
Ren
, Nat. Mater.
3
, 91
(2004
).3.
T. J.
Yang
, V.
Gopalan
, P. J.
Swart
, and U.
Mohideen
, Phys. Rev. Lett.
82
, 4106
(1999
).4.
V.
Gopalan
, T. E.
Mitchell
, Y.
Furukawa
, and K.
Kitamura
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
72
, 1981
(1998
).5.
K.
Kitamura
, Y.
Furukawa
, K.
Niwa
, V.
Gopalan
, and T. E.
Mitchell
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
73
, 3073
(1998
).6.
H.
Hu
, P. A.
Thomas
, A.
Snigirev
, I.
Snigireva
, A
Souvorov
, P. G.R.
Smith
, G. W.
Ross
and S.
Teat
, Nature (London)
392
, 690
(1998
).7.
8.
J. D.
Levingstone
and D. L.
Martin
, J. Appl. Phys.
48
, 1350
(1977
).9.
R.
Friedberg
and D. I.
Paul
, Phys. Rev. Lett.
34
, 1234
(1975
).10.
K. S.
Novoselov
, A. K.
Geim
, S. V.
Dubonos
, E. W.
Hill
, and I. V.
Grigorieva
, Nature (London)
426
, 812
(2004
).11.
P. R.
Newton
, A. J.
Ahearn
, and K. G.
Mckay
Phys. Rev.
75
, 103
(1949
).12.
A. G.
Chynoweth
, Phys. Rev.
110
, 1316
(1958
).13.
R. C.
Miller
, Phys. Rev.
111
, 736
(1958
).14.
15.
V.
Gopalan
, T. E.
Mitchell
, and K. E.
Sicakfus
, Solid State Commun.
109
, 111
(1999
).16.
G.
Rosenman
, P.
Urenski
, A.
Agronin
, Y.
Rosenwaks
, and M.
Molotskii
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
82
, 103
(2003
).17.
G.
Rosenman
, Y.
Rosenwaks
, and R.
Urenski
, HVAFM
, US Patent No. 6,653,630 ( November 25, 2003
).18.
K.
Franke
, J.
Besold
, W.
Haessler
, and C.
Seegebarth
, Surf. Sci.
302
, 283
(1994
).19.
A.
Agronin
, Y.
Rosenwaks
, and G.
Rosenman
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
85
, 452
(2004
).20.
M.
Molotskii
and M.
Shvebelman
, J. Appl. Phys.
97
, 084111
(2005
).21.
H.
Fay
, W. J.
Alford
, and H. M.
Dess
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
12
, 89
(1968
).22.
G. E.
Peterson
and A.
Carnevale
, J. Chem. Phys.
56
, 4848
(1972
).23.
Ch.
Leroux
, G.
Nihoul
, G.
Malovichko
, V.
Grachev
, and C.
Boulesteix
, J. Phys. Chem. Solids
59
, 311
(1998
).24.
S. C.
Abrahams
and P.
Marsh
, Acta Crystallogr., Sect. B: Struct. Sci.
42
, 61
(1986
).25.
N.
Zotov
, H.
Boysen
, F.
Frey
, T.
Metzger
, and E.
Born
, J. Phys. Chem. Solids
55
, 145
(1994
).26.
N.
Iyi
, K.
Kitamura
, and F.
Izumi
, J. Solid State Chem.
101
, 340
(1992
).27.
V. A.
Meleshina
, N. V.
Belugina
, E. V.
Rakova
, Kh. S.
Bagdasarov
, N. D.
Zakharov
, and V. N.
Roshanskii
, Sov. Phys. Crystallogr.
29
, 680
(1984
).28.
J.
Tegenfeldt
and L.
Montelius
Appl. Phys. Lett.
66
, 1068
(1995
).29.
M.
Molotskii
, A.
Agronin
, P.
Urenskii
, M.
Shvebelman
, G.
Rosenman
, and Y.
Rosenwaks
, Phys. Rev. Lett.
90
, 107601
(2003
).© 2006 American Institute of Physics.
2006
American Institute of Physics
You do not currently have access to this content.
