Micro- and Nanodomain Structures Produced by Pulse Laser Heating in Congruent Lithium Tantalate

Abstract

Formation of the micro- and nanodomain structures under the action of pyroelectric field induced by pulse IR laser heating was studied in congruent lithium tantalate. Two types of the self-organized domain structures were found. The three-dimensional maze-type structure with average period about 100 nm appeared in the central part of the irradiated zone heated above T_c. The self-similar structure of oriented domain rays with nanoscale width formed at the edge of the irradiated zone. The obtained increase of the average distance between the nanodomain rays for irradiation at the elevated temperatures was attributed to the decrease of the pyroelectric field.

Keywords:

• lithium tantalate
• domain engineering
• nanodomains
• bulk conductivity
• pyroelectric effect

Acknowledgements

The equipment of the UCSU “Modern Nanotechnology”, Institute of Natural Sciences, UrFU research was made possible in part by RFBR and the Government of Sverdlovsk region (Grant 13-02-96041-r-Ural-a), by RFBR (Grants 11-02-91066-CNRS-a, 13-02-01391-a), by Ministry of Education and Science (Contract 14.513.12.0006), by OPTEC LLC and by the financial support of young scientists of the Ural Federal University development program (Grant No. 2.1.1.1/15). The equipment of the UCSU “Modern Nanotechnology,” Institute of Natural Sciences, UrFU has been used. The authors acknowledge Anton Ievlev for the PFM measurements. The research was made possible in part by RFBR and the Government of Sverdlovsk region (Grant 13-02-96041-r-Ural-a), by RFBR (Grants 11-02-91066-CNRS-a, 13-02-01391-a), by Ministry of Education and Science (Contract 14.513.12.0006), by OPTEC LLC and by the financial support of young scientists of the Ural Federal University development program.