Domain structure evolution in relaxor PLZT 8/65/35 ceramics after chemical etching and electron beam irradiation

Domain structure and its evolution on the surface of PLZT 8/65/35 ceramics after selective chemical etching and e-beam irradiation was studied. It is shown that the initial mixture of the nanoscale fractal-type 3D maze (fractal dimension 2.8) and micron-size domains turned into lamellar domains with periods ranging from 100 to 800 nm as a result of such procedures. The observed etch-induced change of the domain structure was attributed to the action of the depolarization field after partial removing the screening charges. The dependence of the switched domain area on irradiation time (dose) was measured in e-beam irradiated samples.