Lattice-Rotation Vortex at the Charged Monoclinic Domain Boundary in a Relaxor Ferroelectric Crystal

We present evidence of lattice-rotation vortices having an average radius of ~7 nm at the ferroelectric domain boundary of (1-x)Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O₃-xPbTiO₃ ($x=0.08$). Maps of crystal orientations and domain symmetry breaking are obtained using scanning convergent beam electron diffraction, which show fractional rotation vortices near the 50^∘{} monoclinic domain walls. The merging of 2D and 1D topological defects is consistent with inhomogeneous boundary charge and expected to have a large impact on the domain-switching mechanisms in relaxor ferroelectric crystals and ferroelectric devices.