In situ hot-stage transmission electron microscopy of Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O-3

The domain structure of Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O-3 before and after hot-stage experiment has been studied. The influence of maximum temperature, heating and cooling rate on the domain configuration of Pb(Zr1-x,Ti-x)O-3 with x = 0.40, 0.45, 0.48 and 0.55 was analysed. A reliable basis for further hot-stage experiments of Pb(Zr1-x,Ti-x)O-3 has been established. The investigations revealed a temperature dependent appearance and disappearance of nano- and microdomains. The appearance of microdomains in the nano scale range during cooling, denoted as domain miniaturisation, and the time dependent recovering of the former domain structure, revealed that under specific experimental conditions the domain configuration is reversible.