Domain Observation of Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3Mixed Crystals by Scanning Probe Microscopy

Domain wall structures on the etched surfaces of the solid solutions of Pb(Zn 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 – x PbTiO 3 (PZN- x PT; x ≤20%) were investigated by scanning probe microscopy (SPM). We showed that both the 90° and 180° domain wall structures on the etched surface of the PZN- x PT ( x =10–20%) can be observed using SPM. We found that complex 180° domain wall structures with a typical size on the 1–2 µm order exist in the c -domain on the (001)-crystal surface of PZN-20%PT. A fingerprint pattern was found on PZN- x PT ( x ≤8%). It is found that no ferroelastic domain wall structure is observed in the concentration range below x =5%.