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A birefringence imaging microscopy study of LiTaO3 and some mixed LiTaxNb1-xO3 crystals is reported. The initially congruent LiTaO3 crystals have been subject to vapour transport equilibration in order to increase the Li content and at the same time to reduce the optical birefringence close to zero at room temperature. In both types of crystal, the presence of unusual periodic self-organized stripes, existing over large distances, has been observed, which correlate with the well documented cleavage and twin planes in this material. Furthermore, the stripes become narrower as the temperature is changed away from the zero-birefringence temperature, but become temperature-independent above the ferroelectric-paraelectric phase-transition temperature.

Supporting information

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Windows Media Video (WMV) file https://doi.org/10.1107/S0021889810033868/wf5079sup1.wmv
Intensity BIM video for sample VTE28

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Windows Media Video (WMV) file https://doi.org/10.1107/S0021889810033868/wf5079sup2.wmv
Orientation BIM video for sample VTE28

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Windows Media Video (WMV) file https://doi.org/10.1107/S0021889810033868/wf5079sup3.wmv
sin delta BIM video for sample VTE28

wmv

Windows Media Video (WMV) file https://doi.org/10.1107/S0021889810033868/wf5079sup4.wmv
Intensity BIM video for sample LNT67

wmv

Windows Media Video (WMV) file https://doi.org/10.1107/S0021889810033868/wf5079sup5.wmv
Orientation BIM video for sample LNT67

wmv

Windows Media Video (WMV) file https://doi.org/10.1107/S0021889810033868/wf5079sup6.wmv
sin delta BIM video for sample LNT67


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