Investigations of domain contrast in Pb5Ge3O11 with a scanning electron microscope

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Abstract
A Pb5Ge3O11 single crystal with two different, specially developed domain structures was studied in a SEM. Conditions for the observation of domain contrast in Pb5Ge3O11 were found. Possible mechanisms that explain the difference between the 180°-domain contrast and the boundary domain are discussed. Polarization reversal of the sample was feasible with the electron beam. This enabled the dynamics of the polarization reversal of both domain structures to be studied in the SEM. It also revealed the difference in the switching process as well as in the nucleus domain of the polarization reversal in regions having different original domain structures. The nucleus domain contrast was found to be mainly determined by the trajectory deflection of secondary electrons.