Study of the electric field-induced domain structure transformation in BaTiO₃ ceramics by high resolution methods

Ferroelectric domain structure in BaTiO₃ ceramics was studied with nanoscale spatial resolution before and after poling by application of the uniform electric field. Complimentary vector piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) and backscattered scanning electron microscopy allow visualizing domain structure in the individual grains of ceramics and study of the interaction between domains and grain boundaries. Analysis of the vector PFM images after application of electric field was used for characterization of the transformation of polarization direction in domains and domain bands. Collective dynamics of ferroelastic domains under the action of electric field is discussed.