Domain Formation in Ferroelectric BaTiO₃ Studied by X-ray Topography. II

Abstract

The nucleation and growth of ferroelectric domains in a c -plate of BaTiO 3 , partly covered with electrodes, has been studied by X-ray topography. By the application of an electric field of 2.8 kV/cm for 10 seconds, small domains of several microns in size are formed outside the electrodes. On further applications of electric field, some of these nucleated domains does not grow and disappeares after the electric field was removed. By the detailed observation it is concluded that domains are not nucleated spontaneously but at the preferential points in the plate, and domains which were effective for further growth are that nucleated under the surface covered with the negative electrode. Once a nucleus has grown into a needle-like domain, new domains are easily formed around the pre-existing domain, and as the results a cluster of needle-like domain is formed.