Ferroelectric domains in the multiferroic phase of ErMnO3 imaged by low-temperature photoemission electron microscopy

Low-temperature photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) is used to image and compare the distribution of ferroelectric domains in multiferroic ErMnO3 above and below the magnetic ordering temperature (TN =80 K). Our temperature-dependent PEEM data demonstrate that the ferroelectric domain structure is robust against the onset of magnetic long- range order and the emergence of antiferromagnetic domains. The observed persistence indicates that antiferromagnetic domain walls adopt the position of ferroelectric walls-and not vice versa-developing a multiferroic domain-wall pattern congruent with the ferroelectric domain-wall distribution observed above TN.