The transient behavior of the electric field during simultaneous growth and in situ poling of LiNbO3 has been studied. The transient features have been correlated with the poling of the multidomain seed and crystal, and domain reversal in poled seed. A steady-state condition is obtained after the shoulder region of the crystal is terminated and the crystal reaches its final diameter. Finally, the critical values of field parameters necessary to obtain complete monodomain crystals without causing melt electrolysis at the solid-liquid interface have been analyzed. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.