The Effect of Electric Field on the Domain Structures in Rochelle Salt

Abstract

The domain structures in the rochelle salt crystal were observed in polarized light under varied electric field. It was found that the motion of the domain boundaries shows hysteresis and relaxation phenomena, and sometimes Barkhausen effect. It was also found that the domain does not always penetrate the crystal and some domains are supposed to be wedgeshaped in the direction of thickness (along the a -axis).