Naturally occurring ferroelectric inversion domains in flux-grown crystals of ${\mathrm{KTiOPO}}_4$ have been investigated using anomalous-scattering, multiple-crystal multiple-reflection x-ray diffraction and topography. The absolute structural polarity of ${\mathrm{KTiOPO}}_4$ with respect to etching of the (001) and (001¯) surfaces has been determined via the differences in the integrated intensities of Bijvoet pairs of asymmetric reflections with Cu-$K_{\alpha 1}$ radiation. Using the combination of anomalous-scattering topography and domain-selective etching, two kinds of inversion domains have been observed, one type having a curved domain wall in a random orientation and the other having a zig-zag domain wall across the surface of crystal, but both of them are of the head-to-head configuration. These domains have been imaged in x-ray topographs by anomalous scattering and the changes in diffraction contrast are consistent with those expected from diffraction theory present here. The origin of the formation of the head-to-head domain configuration is discussed in the context of the structural characteristics of ${\mathrm{KTiOPO}}_4.$

• Received 10 February 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.56.8559