ROLE OF EXTRINSIC DEFECTS IN FERROELECTRIC DOMAIN INVERSION OF LITHIUM NIOBATE

摘要

We apply confocal luminescence microscopy to investigate the interaction between ferroelectric domain walls both statically and dynamically. In our technique, we use rare earth ions such as Er~(3+) and probe the changes in the emission spectra of these probe-defects. The changes that occur can be interpreted in terms of changes in internal electric fields and the arrangement of charge compensating defects. With this technique we are able to precisely image the domain wall regions and to measure changes that occur within a moving domain wall.