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Title: Low-Temperature Phase Transformations in Weakly Doped Quantum Paraelectrics: Novel Features and Quantum Reentrant Dipolar Glass State in KTa0.982Nb0.018O3

Journal Article · · Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [3];  [4];  [1];  [5]
  1. Institute of Physics, Czech Republic
  2. Rostov State University, Russia
  3. Universita di Pavia, Italy
  4. University of Osnabruck, Osnabruck, Germany
  5. ORNL

An unusual sequence of phase transitions (PT) and reentrant dipole glass-like phase formation at low temperatures was found recently in KTaO{sub 3} weakly doped with Li and Nb (K{sub 0.9986}Li{sub 0.0014}Ta{sub 0.976}Nb{sub 0.024}O{sub 3}) [Phys. Rev. B 63 (2001) 172]. We report on detailed low frequency (100 Hz-1 MHz) permittivity and Raman light scattering studies of similar composition, but without Li admixture, KTa{sub 1-x}Nb{sub x}O{sub 3} with x = 0.018 (KTN1.8). The aim of the study is to answer the question if the reentrant dipole glass-like phase exists in KTN1.8 and what is the microscopic origin of this phase. A detailed study of the sharp low-temperature PT observed at T{sub C} {approx} 27 K revealed properties inherent to the reentrant glass-type state at lower temperatures. The substitution of Nb for Ta influences the TO{sub 1} soft lattice mode and leads to PT with the long-range ferroelectric ordering. A crossover to an order-disorder polar microregion dynamics with a non-standard {var_epsilon}(T) behaviour and dipole glass-like formation were found below T{sub C} (at {approx}15 K), which is attributed to the randomness of the Nb distribution. A crossover to the long-range order was found under a dc bias field.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1003432
Journal Information:
Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids, Vol. 65, Issue 7; ISSN 0022-3697
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English