Ferroelectric domain reversal in congruent LiTaO3 crystals at elevated temperatures

We report a four-times decrease in the electric fields for 180 degrees doma in reversal in congruent LiTaO3 crystals with an increase in temperature fr om 22 to 250 degrees C. This is accompanied by a substantial broadening of the field range over which domain reversal takes place, by an order of magn itude. The large internal fields of similar to 5.5 kV/mm at room temperatur e, as measured by the asymmetry in polarization hysteresis loop, disappears at higher temperatures. With increasing temperature, the domain switching changes from lateral growth dominated to nucleation dominated kinetics. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)01417-0].