Ferroelectricity, conductivity, domain structure and poling conditions of rubidium titanyl phosphate

This paper reports the conductive and ferroelectric properties of RTP crystals that are important for the fabrication of quasi-phase-matched RTP devices. The frequency dependence of the conductivity is shown to be represented by a Debye-function in the lower frequency range ({<}10 kHz) and to obey a power law in the high frequency range. The spontaneous polarization and coercive field are found to be 0.198±0.005 C m -2 and 2.65±0.2 kV mm -1 , respectively, by measuring the switching current of RTP under domain reversal. Ferroelectric hysteresis loops are obtained in which the effects of a previously unreported dependence of the ac conductivity on the amplitude of the applied electric field are clearly visible. The domain structure of as-grown crystals and the change in the domain structure under a square waveform of 3 kV mm -1 are revealed through the use of optimized etching conditions.