Abstract
Domain structure of barium titanate single crystals has been studied by scanning force microscopy (SFM). In the SFM topography mode, a–c-domain contrast was observed due to surface deformation as a result of lattice distortion on the domain wall separating a- and c-domains. The variety of configurations in which a- and c-domains are arranged results in complex topography of the crystal surface. Antiparallel c-domains of submicron size were produced by applying a voltage bias to the SFM tip and subsequently imaged in the SFM piezoresponse mode with a resolution of less than 20 nm.