Indentation-induced domain switching in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 crystal

Response of ferroelectric domains to mechanical stresses was studied on a oriented piezoelectric 0.65Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 –0.35PbTiO 3 (0.65PMN–0.35PT) crystal. Stress-induced domain switching was observed in the stress field of a microindentation and was confined to butterfly-shaped switching zones which extended preferentially along the directions. Based on a critical shear stress criterion, a stress analysis was made to determine the condition for the 90° domain switching. The analysis predicted a hyperbolic contour for the switching-zone boundary, in agreement with the experimental observations.