Domain configurations of the "incommensurate" structures of 2H-TaSe2 and Bi2Sr2(Ca(1-x)Ln(x))Cu2O8+delta studied by HRTEM

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images of the "inc ommensurate" structures of 2H-TaSe2 and Bi(2)Sr(2)Ca(1-x)Ln(x)Cu(2)O(8+delt a) (Ln: rare earth metal) are shown. They were taken from a wide specimen a rea with homogeneous thickness. For the former, a configuration of two doma ins was found by a scrutiny of HRTEM images. For the latter, many configura tions of two domains were extracted from the photometric density distributi on in the one-dimensional contrast modulations in HRTEM images. One domain of the two in both configurations is created by a phase slip occurring in t he primacy atomic displacement longitudinal wave. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.