Observation of ferroelectric domains in BaTiO₃ by synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction topography

Abstract X-ray diffraction topography was used to observe two distinct ferroelectric domains in BaTiO3. The use of highly-parallel X-rays and a high-resolution detector with approximately 200 nm resolution enabled us to successfully characterize two distinct domains, each with sizes of the order of 10 μm. Along with the local rocking curve of the bulk crystal, we generated width maps corresponding to crystal properties including defects and, strain. This information is beneficial for understanding domain behavior, and the measurement system can be expected to become a powerful tool for in situ measurements of processes requiring domain control.