We have studied the formation of isolated domains induced by ion beam irradiation in the stoichiometric lithium niobate (SLN) single crystals covered by surface dielectric layer. The unusual domain shape was revealed at the irradiated polar surface at the doses above 20 pC. The nested domain shape with hexagonal outer part and circle inner one has been distinguished. The domains visualization in the bulk showed the hexagonal domain shape in the depth. The obtained effect was attributed to backswitching under the action of electric field produced by space charge dipped to LN plate at the doses above 20 pC due to essential ion beam sputtering effect. ; The equipment of the Ural Center for Shared Use "Modern nanotechnology" UrFU was used. The research was made possible in part by Government of the Russian Federation (Act 211, Agreement 02.A03.21.0006) and by President of Russian Federation grant for young scientists (Contract 14.Y30.16.8441-MK).
Samarium substituted bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) ceramics prepared by sol-gel synthesis method were studied using both local scale and microscopic measurement techniques in order to clarify an evolution of the crystal structure of the compounds across the morphotropic phase boundary region. X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission and scanning electron microscopies, XPS, EDS/EDX experiments and piezoresponse force microscopy were used to study the structural transitions from the polar active rhombohedral phase to the anti-polar orthorhombic phase and then to the non-polar orthorhombic phase, observed in the Bi1−xSmxFeO3 compounds within the concentration range of 0.08 ≤ x ≤ 0.2. The results obtained by microscopic techniques testify that the compounds in the range of 0.12 ≤ x ≤ 0.15 are characterized by two phase structural state formed by a coexistence of the rhombohedral and the anti-polar orthorhombic phases; two phase structural state observed in the compounds with 0.15