Domain orientation imaging of PMN-PT single crystals by vertical and lateral piezoresponse force microscopy

Abstract The vertical and lateral piezoresponse force microscopy were used to perform studies of domain structures in 〈0 0 1〉 oriented Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 –30%PbTiO 3 single crystals with a rhombohedral ferroelectric state. The irregular fingerprinter domain patterns with antiparallel P → s [111] – P → s [ 1 1 1 ] or P → s [ 1 11] – P → s [1 1 1 ] polarization orientation and regular, narrow strip domain patterns with P → s [ 1 1 1] – P → s [11 1 ] polarization orientation were successfully visualized and determined. The complex, spatial inhomogeneity of ferroelectric domain structures are discussed in terms of local random fields resulting from compositional and charge disorder in PMN–PT relaxor ferroelectric single crystals.