Evidence of decoupled lattice distortion and ferroelectric polarization in the relaxor system <span class="aps-inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi mathvariant="normal">PMN</mi><mo>−</mo><mi>x</mi><mi mathvariant="normal">PT</mi></math></span>

Guangyong Xu; D. Viehland; J. F. Li; P. M. Gehring; G. Shirane

doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.68.212410

Evidence of decoupled lattice distortion and ferroelectric polarization in the relaxor system $PMN - x PT$

Guangyong Xu, D. Viehland, J. F. Li, P. M. Gehring, and G. Shirane

Phys. Rev. B 68, 212410 – Published 30 December 2003

Abstract

We report high q-resolution neutron scattering data on $PMN - x PT$ single crystals with $x = 20 %$ and $27 % .$ No rhombohedral distortion occurs in the 20PT sample for temperatures as low as 50 K. On the other hand, the 27PT sample transforms into a rhombohedral phase below $T_{C} \sim 375 K .$ Our data provide conclusive evidence that a phase with an average cubic lattice is present in the bulk of this relaxor system at low PT concentration, in which the ferroelectric polarization and lattice distortion are decoupled. The rhombohedral distortion is limited to the outermost tens of microns of the crystal.

Received 8 October 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.68.212410

Authors & Affiliations

Guangyong Xu¹, D. Viehland², J. F. Li², P. M. Gehring³, and G. Shirane¹

¹Physics Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, USA
²Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Virginia Tech., Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
³NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA

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Vol. 68, Iss. 21 — 1 December 2003

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