Imaging of domains in single crystals of BiFeO3-PbTiO 3 using various microscopy techniques

Abstract

Single crystals of BiFeO3-PbTiO3 have been grown from a PbO:Bi2O3 flux by cooling at a rate of 2°C/hour from the melt. Faceted crystals of various morphologies were produced and the size of the crystals ranged from less than 0.5mm to 5mm. Initial measurements were made using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) semi-quantifying the composition of the crystals as well as electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) of the crushed and sieved crystals established that the structure was rhombohedral perovskite for the (BiFeO3)0.75-(PbTiO3) 0.25 composition and tetragonal perovskite for the (BiFeO 3)0.50-(PbTiO3)0.50 composition and mixed phase for the (BiFeO3)0.65-(PbTiO3) 0.35 and (BiFeO3)0.70- (PbTiO3) 0.30. X-ray pole figures verified that the (BiFeO3) 0.75-(PbTiO3)0.25 crystal had grown with a single orientation, the [100] direction. Structures that are believed to be domains have been observed through optical and electron microscopy in backscattered mode. This interim report of on going investigations seeks to eventually confirm the domain structure in the crystals with electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD). © 2006 IOP Publishing Ltd.