Mobility of 180 degrees domain walls in congruent LiTaO3 measured using real-time electro-optic imaging microscopy

We report the electric-field dependence of 180 degrees domain-wall mobility in congruent LiTaO3 measured at room temperature using in situ electro-opt ic imaging microscopy. The measured sideways domain-wall velocity of serrat ed domain fronts formed upon merger of domains was an order of magnitude la rger than that for independently growing domains. The wall velocities also show a strong dependence on the nature of the applied electric field, being an order of magnitude larger for steady-state voltages as compared to puls ed voltage measurements. This is shown to be due to wall stabilization betw een applied voltage pulses resulting in an inertial delay in moving a domai n wall which has been at rest for many seconds. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)03215-6].