{bold {ital In situ}} video observation of 180{degree} domain switching in LiTaO{sub 3} by electro-optic imaging microscopy
- Materials Research Laboratory, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 (United States)
- Center for Materials Science, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)
We report video observation of 180{degree} domain switching in congruent LiTaO{sub 3} under an external electric field by electro-optic imaging microscopy. The sideways wall velocity of independently growing 180{degree} domains in the {ital Z} plane of the crystal was measured to be 0.1{endash}0.2 mm/s at a constant field of 21.2 kV/mm. The merging of independently growing domains results in a serrated domain front which displays an order of magnitude increase in the wall velocity to {approximately}2.3 mm/s. We show that this is directly related to ledge formation upon domain merging where preferential nucleation takes place. These velocities are also an order of magnitude higher than those reported earlier for equivalent switching times that were measured by pulsed voltage application followed by {ital ex situ} optical observation. {copyright} {ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.}
- OSTI ID:
- 304229
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 85, Issue 4; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1999
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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