Domain configuration in pulsed laser deposited films of rhombohedral PbZr0.65Ti0.35O3

Highly oriented perovskite ferroelectric films of rhombohedral PbZr0.65Ti0. 35O3, with [001] direction normal to the substrate surface, have been produ ced by pulsed laser deposition on La0.5Sr0.5CoO3/MgO (100). The domains in the films were detected using atomic force microscopy, registering the elec tromechanical response of the films in the presence of a low ac field. We o bserve a direct correlation between domain configuration and the microstruc tural features in the as-deposited films. In the large (similar to 200 nm) grains, an ordered polydomain configuration with {100} domain boundaries an d "puckering" of the top surface of the grains are observed. The smaller gr ains are found to be single domain. The observed domain configuration in ou r films is significantly different from the lamellar pattern reported recen tly. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)05221-3].