Visualization of 180° domain structures in uniaxial ferroelectrics using confocal scanning optical microscopy

Confocal scanning optical microscopy (CSOM) is used to visualize ferroelectric domain structure in materials with no natural optical contrast between domains. By applying an in-plane ac electric field, the orientation of the in-plane ferroelectric polarization may be determined. Experiments on LiNbO3 single crystals show high-quality images of domain structures. The domain contrast is found to depend on the ac field orientation and the incident light polarization. This investigation demonstrates the utility of CSOM for studying static and dynamic processes of domain structure and the possibility for studying domain kinetics on the nanoscale level.