30 research outputs found
Condensation and Slow Dynamics of Polar Nanoregions in Lead Relaxors
It is now well established that the unique properties of relaxor
ferroelectrics are due to the presence of polar nanoregions (PNR's). We present
recent results from Neutron and Raman scattering of single crystals of PZN,
PZN-xPT, and PMN. Both sets of measurements provide information on the
condensation of the PNR's and on their slow dynamics, directly through the
central peak and, indirectly, through their coupling to transverse phonons. A
comparative analysis of these results allows identification of three stages in
the evolution of the PNR's with decreasing temperature: a purely dynamic stage,
a quasi-static stage with reorientational motion and a frozen stage. A model is
proposed, based on a prior study of KTN, which explains the special behavior of
the transverse phonons (TO and TA) in terms of their mutual coupling through
the rotations of the PNR's.Comment: AIP 6x9 style files, 10 pages, 4 figures, Conference-Fundamental
Physics of Ferroelectrics 200
Domain structure in the monoclinic Pm phase of Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3 - PbTiO3 single crystals
The domain structure of (1-x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3- xPbTiO3 single crystals with
composition x ~ 0.33 in the range of the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) was
studied. Based on the analysis of spontaneous strain compatibility and charge
of domain walls, we have established the permissible domain arrangements for
the ferroelectric phases of different symmetry, which are expected to occur in
the range of the MPB. Examination of (001)-oriented unpoled and electrically
poled (along the [001] direction) crystal plates in polarizing microscope
reveals a monophase state with the domain structure compatible with the
structure theoretically predicted for the Mc monoclinic phase (space group Pm),
which was recently discovered in the compositions close to the MPB by x-ray and
neutron diffraction studies. In the unpoled crystal the 180 deg. walls between
the domains whose spontaneous polarization vectors are parallel to the plane of
the crystal plate (i.e. a-domains) are observed. The domain structure of the
poled crystal is predominantly composed of crystallographically prominent Wf
walls parallel to (001) (i.e. the plane of the crystal plate) and inclined S
walls parallel to [110] or [1-10] direction. In poled and unpoled samples the
optical rotatory polarization effect is found, which is related to the
inhomogeneity of the sample resulting from the mixture of domains.Comment: PDF file, 30 pages, 15 figures (3 in color) collected on pp.18-3
Diffuse Neutron Scattering Study of Relaxor Ferroelectric (1-x)Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPbTiO3(PZN-xPT)
Diffuse neutron scattering is a valuable tool to obtain information about the
size and orientation of the polar nanoregions that are a characteristic feature
of relaxor ferroelectrics. In this paper, we present new diffuse scattering
results obtained on Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3 (PZN for short) and
(1-x)Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPbTiO3(PZN-xPT)single crystals (with x=4.5 and 9%),
around various Bragg reflections and along three symmetry directions in the
[100]-[011] zone. Diffuse scattering is observed around reflections with mixed
indices, (100), (011) and (300), and along transverse and diagonal directions
only. No diffuse scattering is found in longitudinal scans. The diffuse
scattering peaks can be fitted well with a Lorentzian function, from which a
correlation length is extracted. The correlation length increases with
decreasing temperatures down to the transition at Tc, first following a
Curie-Weiss law, then departing from it and becoming flat at very low
temperatures. These results are interpreted in terms of three temperature
regions: 1) dynamic polarization fluctuations (i.e. with a finite lifetime) at
high temperatures, 2) static polarization reorientations (condensation of polar
nanoregions) that can still reorient as a unit (relaxor behavior) at
intermediate temperatures and 3) orientational freezing of the polar
nanoregions with random strain fields in pure PZN or a structural phase
transition in PZN-xPT at low temperatures. The addition of PT leads to a
broadening of the diffuse scattering along the diagonal ([111]) relative to the
transverse ([100]) direction, indicating a change in the orientation of the
polar regions. Also, with the addition of PT, the polar nanoregions condense at
a higher temperature above Tc.Comment: AIP 6x9 style files, 9 pages, 5 figures, Conference-Fundamental
Physics of Ferroelectrics 200
Ground State of Relaxor Ferroelectric
High energy x-ray diffraction measurements on Pb(ZnNb)O
(PZN) single crystals show that the system does not have a rhombohedral
symmetry at room temperature as previously believed. The new phase (X) in the
bulk of the crystal gives Bragg peaks similar to that of a nearly cubic lattice
with a slight tetragonal distortion. The Bragg profile remains sharp with no
evidence of size broadening due to the polar micro crystals (MC). However, in
our preliminary studies of the skin, we have found the expected rhombohedral
(R) phase as a surface state. On the other hand, studies on an electric-field
poled PZN single crystal clearly indicate a rhombohedral phase at room
temperature.Comment: 11 pages with 3 figure
Diffuse Neutron Scattering Study of a Disordered Complex Perovskite Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3 Crystal
Diffuse scattering around the (110) reciprocal lattice point has been
investigated by elastic neutron scattering in the paraelectric and the relaxor
phases of the disordered complex perovskite crystal-Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3(PZN). The
appearance of a diffuse intensity peak indicates the formation of polar
nanoregions at temperature T*, approximately 40K above Tc=413K. The analysis of
this diffuse scattering indicates that these regions are in the shape of
ellipsoids, more extended in the direction than in the direction.
The quantitative analysis provides an estimate of the correlation length, \xi,
or size of the regions and shows that \xi ~1.2\xi , consistent with
the primary or dominant displacement of Pb leading to the low temperature
rhombohedral phase. Both the appearance of the polar regions at T*and the
structural transition at Tc are marked by kinks in the \xi curve but not
in the \xi one, also indicating that the primary changes take place in a
direction at both temperatures.Comment: REVTeX file. 4 pages, 3 figures embedded, New version after referee
cond-mat/010605
A Neutron Elastic Diffuse Scattering Study of PMN
We have performed elastic diffuse neutron scattering studies on the relaxor
Pb(MgNb)O (PMN). The measured intensity distribution near a
(100) Bragg peak in the (hk0) scattering plane assumes the shape of a butterfly
with extended intensity in the (110) and (10) directions. The
temperature dependence of the diffuse scattering shows that both the size of
the polar nanoregions (PNR) and the integrated diffuse intensity increase with
cooling even for temperatures below the Curie temperature K.Comment: Submitted to PR
Disorder and relaxation mode in the lattice dynamics of PbMgNbO relaxor ferroelectric
The low-energy part of vibration spectrum in PbMgNbO
relaxor ferroelectric was studied by inelastic neutron scattering. We observed
the coexistence of a resolution-limited central peak with strong quasielastic
scattering. The line-width of the quasielastic component follows a
dependence. We find that is temperature-dependent.
The relaxation time follows the Arrhenius law well. The presence of a
relaxation mode associated with quasi-elastic scattering in PMN indicates that
order-disorder behaviour plays an important r\^ole in the dynamics of diffuse
phase transitions
Neutron scattering study of PbMgTaO and BaMgTaO complex perovskites
Neutron scattering investigations were carried out in
PbMgTaO and BaMgTaO complex
perovskites. The crystal structure of both compounds does not show any phase
transition in the temperature range 1.5 -- 730 K. Whereas the temperature
dependence of the lattice parameter of BaMgTaO follows the
classical expectations, the lattice parameter of relaxor ferroelectric
PbMgTaO exhibits anomalies. One of these anomalies is
observed in the same temperature range as the peak in the dielectric
susceptibility. We find that in PbMgTaO, lead ions are
displaced from the ideal positions in the perovskite structure at all
temperatures. Consequently short-range order is present. This induces strong
diffuse scattering with an anisotropic shape in wavevector space. The
temperature dependences of the diffuse neutron scattering intensity and of the
amplitude of the lead displacements are similar
Competing orders in PZN-xPT and PMN-xPT relaxor ferroelectrics
Neutron and x-ray scattering studies on relaxor ferroelectric systems
Pb(ZnNb)O (PZN), Pb(MgNb)O (PMN), and
their solid solutions with PbTiO (PT) have shown that inhomogeneities and
disorder play important roles in the materials properties. Although a
long-range polar order can be established at low temperature - sometimes with
the help of an external electric field; short-range local structures called the
``polar nano-regions'' (PNR) still persist. Both the bulk structure and the PNR
have been studied in details. The coexistence and competition of long- and
short-range polar orders and how they affect the structural and dynamical
properties of relaxor materials are discussed.Comment: Article submitted for JPSJ Special Topics (Novel States of Matter
Induced by Frustration