TOPOGRAPHICAL STRUCTURE OF THE DOMAIN BOUNDARY ON THE TRIGLYCINE SULFATE(010) SURFACE

Combined scanning force and friction force microscopy (FFM) operated u nder ambient conditions as well as in inert gas atmosphere has been ap plied to investigate the topographical structure of the domain boundar y on the triglycine sulfate (010) surface. The inspection of freshly c leaved (010) surfaces revealed the coexistence of a topographical step (height approximate to b/4) with the domain boundary. When the bounda ry is moving due to, e.g., heat treatment of the sample the topographi cal step changes its position according to the domain boundary motion. Additionally, opposite cleavage faces exhibit a mismatch of the topog raphical steps at the domain boundaries when the crystal is cleaved un der ambient conditions. This mismatch does not occur when the crystal is cleaved in a water-free atmosphere. A model is presented which expl ains these observations.