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Identification of inversion domains in KTiOPO 4 via resonant X‐ray diffraction
Author(s) -
Fabrizi Federica,
Thomas Pamela A.,
Nisbet Gareth,
Collins Stephen P.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
acta crystallographica section a
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.742
H-Index - 83
ISSN - 2053-2733
DOI - 10.1107/s2053273315007238
Subject(s) - diffraction , point reflection , optics , bragg's law , materials science , ferroelectricity , inversion (geology) , multiferroics , polar , synchrotron radiation , absorption edge , molecular physics , crystallography , physics , condensed matter physics , chemistry , optoelectronics , dielectric , paleontology , structural basin , astronomy , band gap , biology
A novel method is presented for the identification of the absolute crystallographic structure in multi‐domain polar materials such as ferroelectric KTiOPO 4 . Resonant (or `anomalous') X‐ray diffraction spectra collected across the absorption K edge of Ti (4.966 keV) on a single Bragg reflection demonstrate a huge intensity ratio above and below the edge, providing a polar domain contrast of ∼270. This allows one to map the spatial domain distribution in a periodically inverted sample, with a resolution of ∼1 µm achieved with a microfocused beam. This non‐contact, non‐destructive technique is well suited for samples of large dimensions (in contrast with traditional resonant X‐ray methods based on diffraction from Friedel pairs), and its potential is particularly relevant in the context of physical phenomena connected with an absence of inversion symmetry, which require characterization of the underlying absolute atomic structure (such as in the case of magnetoelectric coupling and multiferroics).