Self-organization in LiNbO3 and LiTaO3: Formation of micro- and nano-scale domain patterns

We review the study of self-organized formation of several types of quasi-regular micro- and nano-scale domain patterns in single crystalline LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 samples with artificial surface dielectric layers. The domain images revealed by chemical etching have been visualized using optical, scanning electron and scanning probe microscopy (SPM) in contact atomic force mode. SPM piezoresponse imaging mode allows us to investigate the domain structure under the sample surface. We classify the obtained quasi-regular domain structures and discuss the mechanism of their formation and self-maintained growth.