Domain configurations in BaTiO₃ single crystals grown from high temperature solution

Abstract

BaTiO₃ single crystals were grown by the TSSG technique and the spatial domain configurations in the tetragonal crystals were observed by using polarizing microscope, SEM, TEM, and x-ray topography. All the straight boundaries in the observed domain patterns, even in the herring bone structure, can be interpreted as the head-to-tail 90° walls. After thinning and polishing (001) crystal plates, some 90° a-c boundaries are disappeared and a-domains become predominant. It is resulted from the ferroelastic property of this crystal. The irregular overlapped boundaries can be observed by using polarizing microscope and x-ray topography.