Direct writing of ferroelectric domains on the x- and y-faces of lithium niobate using a continuous wave ultraviolet laser

Journal Article · Mon Feb 07 00:00:00 EST 2011 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3553194· OSTI ID:21518279

Steigerwald, H; Buse, K; Soergel, E ^[1]; Ying, Y J; Eason, R W; Mailis, S ^[2]

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1. Institute of Physics, University of Bonn, Wegelerstrasse 8, 53115 Bonn (Germany)
2. Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom)

Ferroelectric domain reversal has been achieved by scanning a tightly focused, strongly absorbed ultraviolet laser beam across the x- and y-faces of lithium niobate crystals. The domains were investigated by piezoresponse force microscopy. The emergence and width of any domain was found to depend on the scanning direction of the irradiating laser beam with respect to the polar z-axis. Full width and half width domains or no domain formation at all could be achieved for scanning along specific directions. We interpret the results by a direct correlation between the local temperature gradient and the resulting polarization direction.

• OSTI ID: 21518279
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 98, Issue 6; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3553194; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CORRELATIONS
CRYSTALS
FERROELECTRIC MATERIALS
LASER RADIATION
LITHIUM COMPOUNDS
MICROSCOPY
NIOBATES
POLARIZATION
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRA
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
DIELECTRIC MATERIALS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
MATERIALS
NIOBIUM COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIATIONS
REFRACTORY METAL COMPOUNDS
SPECTRA
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS