Ordered patterns of highly compliant ferroelastic domains have been created by use of tensile strained epitaxial Pb(Zr, Ti)O-3 thin films, of very low defect density, grown on DyScO3 substrates. The effect of 180 degrees switching on well-ordered a/c 90 degrees domain patterns is investigated by a combination of transmission electron microscopy, piezoelectric force microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. It is shown that ferroelastic a-domains, having an in-plane polarization, can be created and completely removed on a local level by an out-of-plane electric field. The modifications of the ferroelastic domain pattern can be controlled by varying the parameters used during switching with a piezoresponse force microscope to produce the desired arrangement. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.