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Title: Bi{sub 4}LnNb{sub 3}O{sub 15} (Ln = La, Pr, Nd) and Bi{sub 4}LaTa{sub 3}O{sub 15}: New intergrowth Aurivillius related phases

Journal Article · · Materials Research Bulletin
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. Solid State and Structural Chemistry Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012 (India)
  2. Laboratoire de Sciences des Procedes Ceramiques et Traitements de Surface (CNRS UMR 6638), Universite de Limoges, 123 Avenue Albert Thomas, F-87060 Limoges Cedex (France)

We describe the synthesis and characterization of new intergrowth Aurivillius related phases, Bi{sub 4}LnNb{sub 3}O{sub 15} (Ln = La, Pr, Nd) and Bi{sub 4}LaTa{sub 3}O{sub 15}. Both powder X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy investigations show that the compounds adopt orthorhombic structures with the cell parameters a {approx} 5.5 A, b {approx} 5.5 A and c {approx} 20.9 A, suggesting an ordered intergrowth structure that consists of n = 1 [Bi{sub 2}NbO{sub 6}]{sup -} and n = 2 [Bi{sub 2}LnNb{sub 2}O{sub 9}]{sup +} Aurivillius fragments which are stacked alternately along the c-axis. The oxides do not show a second harmonic generation (SHG) response toward 1064 nm laser radiation; they do not show a ferroelectric-paraelectric transition either between 30 and 900 deg. C in dielectric measurements, indicating a centrosymmetric structure. Optical absorption studies show that the intergrowth phases possess considerably smaller band gaps than the parent Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} and Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}.

OSTI ID:
20889779
Journal Information:
Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 40, Issue 6; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.materresbull.2005.03.005; PII: S0025-5408(05)00080-2; Copyright (c) 2005 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0025-5408
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English