Ferroelastic orientation states and domain walls in lead phosphate type crystals

The monoclinic structural distortion in lead phosphate and lead arsenate is correlated with the ferroelastic phase transition R (3) over bar m --> C2/C and R (3) over bar m --> P2(1)/c respectively. The resulting domain patterns in the mixed compounds depend on their chemical composition. The intersection of ferroelastic W domain walls with the (100) surface of lead phosphate-arsenate mixed crystals has been imaged using tapping mode atomic force microscopy. Dilution of the strain leads to characteristic surface deformations which deviate from those in pure lead phosphate. In highly twinned lead phosphate-arsenate, X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to show renormalization effects and scattering phenomena stemming from the twin walls. The wall trajectory was Found to be independent of chemical variations using transmission electron microscopy.