Formation of self-similar surface nano-domain structures in lithium niobate under highly nonequilibrium conditions

Formation of the nanoscale domain structure in the sur ace layer as a result of pulsed UV laser irradiation has been studied experimentally in congruent single crystalline lithium niobate LiNbO3. The self-assembled structures have been classified and statistically analyzed. The structure is formed by growth, turning, and branching of domain rays strictly oriented along three Y+ directions. High-resolution microscopy shows that the rays represent the chains of individual needle-like nano-domains. The results of computer simulation of the domain structure formation using experimentally revealed rules are in good agreement with the experimental ones.