Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-2010

Journal or Book Title

Zeitschrift für Kristallographie

Volume

226

Issue

2

First Page

99

Last Page

107

DOI

10.1524/zkri.2011.1299

Abstract

The complex structure of relaxor ferroelectrics comprises polar nanoregions (PNRs) which appear upon cooling below the Burns temperature and quenched compositional (chemical) disorder. The relation between the polar nanostructure and compositionally ordered regions (CORs) often observed in relaxors has been the subject of extensive theoretical investigations; however, the experimental data, especially concerning Pb(B′1/3B″2/3)O3-type complex perovskite relaxors, are rather limited. In this paper, we analyse and discuss the results of our recent investigations of the morphology of CORs and the dynamics of PNRs in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3 based solid solutions in which the degree of compositional disorder was varied by means of changing the composition and/or by means of high-temperature annealing. The samples were characterised using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, piezoresponse force microscopy, Brillouin light scattering, dielectric spectroscopy, as well as by measuring pyroelectric effect and ferroelectric hysteresis loops. No influence of the size of CORs on the PNRs relaxation in the ergodic relaxor phase is found. Instead, the CORs size influences significantly the diffuseness of the transition from the field-induced ferroelectric phase to the ergodic relaxor state. The results are interpreted in the framework of a model suggesting the coexistence of static and dynamic PNRs in the ergodic relaxor phase.

Comments

This article is from Zeitschrift für Kristallographie 226 (2010): 99–107, doi:10.1524/zkri.2011.1299. The final publication is available at www.degruyter.com.

Copyright Owner

Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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