Lattice assisted dielectric relaxation in four-layer Aurivillius Bi5_5FeTi3_3O15_{15} ceramic at low temperatures

We have investigated magnetic, structural and dielectric properties of Bi$_5$FeTi$_3$O$_{15}$ (BFTO) in the temperature range 5K–300 K. Using diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and x-ray absorption fine structure measurements, iso-structural modifications are observed at low temperatures (≈100 K). The analysis of dielectric constant data revealed signatures of dielectric relaxation, concomitant with these structural modifications in BFTO at the same temperatures. Further, employing complementary experimental methods, it is shown that the distribution of Fe/Ti ions in BFTO is random. With the help of techniques that probe magnetism at various length and time scales, it is shown that the phase-pure BFTO is non-magnetic down to the lowest temperatures

Evidence of structural modifications in the region around the broad dielectric maxima in the 30% Sn-doped barium titanate relaxor

The structural and dielectric characterization of 30% Sn-doped BaTiO3 (BaSn0.3Ti0.7O3) as a function of temperature is carried out combining, complementary probes to reveal structural modifications associated to the relaxor behavior. Dielectric data confirms the existence of relaxor-type behavior in BaSn0.3Ti0.7O3. The local and average structural changes as a function of temperature have been investigated in the region of broad changes of dielectric response. Local probes, such as x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy and Mössbauer spectroscopy reveal a special trend of the lattice related to the diffuse dielectric phase transition as observed from dielectric data. The analysis of Raman spectra as a function of temperature reveals a peculiar behavior in the temperature region corresponding to the dielectric transition. The analysis of x-ray diffraction patterns points out a pseudocubic structure throughout the temperature range while the volume exhibits a negative thermal expansion in the region of broad dielectric maximum. Our results suggest structural modifications occurring in the system throughout a wide temperature range, interestingly, associated with changes in macroscopic properties of relaxors such as dispersion in dielectric constants and raising of dipole moment

Magnetism in four-layered Aurivillius Bi5_5FeTi3_3O15_{15} at high pressures

We report the structural and magnetic properties of four-layer Aurivillius compound Bi$_5$FeTi$_3$O$_{15}$ (BFTO) at high hydrostatic pressure conditions. The high-pressure x-ray diffraction (XRD) data does not explicitly show structural phase transitions with pressure, however the observed changes in lattice parameters indicate structural modifications at different pressure values. In the initial pressure region values (up to 2.2 GPa), the lattice parameters a- and b- are nearly equal implying a quasi-tetragonal structure, however as the pressure increases a- and b- diverges apart and exhibits complete orthorhombic phase at pressure values of about 8 GPa. Principal component analysis (PCA) of high pressure Raman measurements point out an evident change in the local structure at about 5.5 GPa indicating that the evolution of the local structure under applied pressure seems to not follow crystallographic changes (long range order). Nuclear forward scattering (NFS) measurements reveal the development of magnetic ordering in BFTO at 5K with high pressures. A progressive increase in magnetic order is observed with increase in pressure at 5 K. Further, NFS measurements carried out at constant pressure (6.4 GPa) and different temperatures indicate that the developed magnetism disappears at higher temperatures (20 K). It is attempted to explain these observations in terms of the observed structural parameter variation with pressure