SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPE TECHNIQUE FOR INVESTIGATION OF FERROELECTRIC-CRYSTALS

On the basis of experimental work an unconventional methodological app roach to the visualization conditions of a domain structure is propose d. To observe domains and their boundaries by the scanning electron mi croscope (SEM) technique, the method of specimen surface charging by a n electron probe is used. This approach has been substantiated in inve stigations of the ferroelectrics BaTiO3, Pb5Ge3O11, and LiNbO3. The me thodological aspects of the measurement of some parameters of ferroele ctric objects with the use of the SEM method (the charge potential rel ief for estimating a local change in conductivity, the coefficient of secondary emission in different domains) are discussed. Some in situ e xperiments have been carried out, such as repolarization under a beam and investigation of the interrelation between the potential image of domains and the pyroelectric properties of materials.