Influence of X-ray irradiation of TGS and LATGS on the nucleation of ferroelectric domains with an electron beam and on the activation field

Influence of X-ray irradiation on TGS and LATGS domain structures is studied. The observation of the domains is made with the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and by the liquid crystal decoration method. With the SEM we have nucleated domains and a difference of nucleation between irradiated and non-irradiated parts of the crystal is observed. The density of the nucleated domains in the irradiated part is lower than in the non-irradiated part and the nucleation process of new domains exhibits a preferential orientation. The influence of X-ray irradiation on the activation field is presented.