Decay of domains created by local switching on non-polar cut of MgO doped LiNbO₃ single crystals

Abstract

Decay of isolated wedge-like domains with charged domain walls during local switching by a biased SPM tip on non-polar cut of lithium niobate doped by MgO was studied using piezoresponse force microscopy. It was found that domain imaging led to domains length reduction, whereas domain width did not change. Domain decay without scanning was also revealed. All the obtained effects were attributed to influence of injected charges, residual depolarization field, and AC voltage. Spatial distribution of electric field near SPM tip was simulated numerically. The obtained results provide new understanding of domain decay problem for nanodomain engineering.

Keywords:

• Piezoresponse force microscopy
• charged domain wall
• backswitching
• Kelvin probe force microscopy
• domain stability
• surface potential

Acknowledgments

The equipment of Ural Center for Shared Use “Modern Nanotechnology” Ural Federal University (Reg. No. 2968) was used.

Additional information

Funding

This research was made possible by Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant No. 20-32-90200) and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (projects 075-15-2021-677 and FEUZ-2020-0054).