Domain configuration in pulsed laser deposited films of rhombohedral PbZr0.65Ti0.35O3

Highly oriented perovskite ferroelectric films of rhombohedral PbZr0.65Ti0.35O3, with [001] direction normal to the substrate surface, have been produced by pulsed laser deposition on La0.5Sr0.5CoO3/MgO (100). The domains in the films were detected using atomic force microscopy, registering the electromechanical response of the films in the presence of a low ac field. We observe a direct correlation between domain configuration and the microstructural features in the as-deposited films. In the large (∼200 nm) grains, an ordered polydomain configuration with {100} domain boundaries and “puckering” of the top surface of the grains are observed. The smaller grains are found to be single domain. The observed domain configuration in our films is significantly different from the lamellar pattern reported recently.