Domain switching dynamics in relaxor ferroelectric Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 revealed by time-resolved high-voltage electron microscopy

Ferroelectric domain dynamics in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.3PbTiO3 single crystals have been studied by in situ biasing high-voltage transmission electron microscopy with a direct electron detection camera. We have achieved time-resolved recording of polarization switching in real space on a 2.5 ms time scale. The reversible response of micrometer-scale domains was observed by applying an electric field of 1 kV/mm. Detailed analyses on smaller sized domains 100–500 nm in size revealed that the domain switching initiated at a corner of a rectangular domain and propagated inward rapidly. The switching proceeded within 60 ms and the maximum switching rate, as fast as 6–8 μm/s, was observed. The domain switching kinetics was classified as two-dimensional nucleation and growth mode based on the Kolmogolov–Avrami–Ishibashi model.