Identification of the Domain Walls Configuration in the Ferroelastic Nanosize Material La_0.95Sr_0.05Ga_0.9Mg_0.1O_3-x

Abstract

This paper deals with the identification of multidomain configuration in ferroelastic phases of La 0.95 Sr 0.05 Ga 0.9 Mg 0.1 O 3−x using polychromatic synchrotron X-ray radiation (Laue method).A nondestructive approach for the determination of domain misorientations, orientation of domain walls and their configuration in the nanosize ferroelastic domain structure was developed. The proposed approach can be used to study the nanosize ferroelastic domain structure in small crystals of submillimeter sizes at different external fields, including temperature. The ferroelastic domain structure in the orthorhombic as well as in the rhombohedral phases of La 0.95 Sr 0.05 Ga 0.9 Mg 0.1 O 3−x crystals has been identified. The intersection of walls leads to the formation of a chevron-like pattern. The observed reversibility of domain patterns during temperature cycles is probably caused by the interaction of domain boundaries with point defects, most likely oxygen vacancies.