Charge contrast of ferroelectric domain walls in ferroelastic terbium molybdate

An extraordinary potential contrast of a plane domain wall forming in the case of excess negative charging of a ferroelastic-ferroelectric Tb₂(MoO₄)₃ sample with a two-domain structure has been detected using a scanning electron microscope. Conditions and features of the formation of this potential contrast (called charge contrast) in the domain wall region are determined. It is shown that the surface is charged at a lower rate in the domain wall region, which is an elastically strained crystal region. The smallest domain wall width determined by the charge-contrast image was 1.6 μm on the average.