Ergodicity reflected in macroscopic and microscopic field-dependent behavior of BNT-based relaxors
- Institute of Materials Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Petersenstraße 23, 64287 Darmstadt (Germany)
- Institute for Material Science and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CeNIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 15, 45141 Essen (Germany)
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-6400 (United States)
The effect of heterovalent B-site doping on ergodicity of relaxor ferroelectrics is studied using (1 − y)(0.81Bi{sub 1/2}Na{sub 1/2}TiO{sub 3}-0.19Bi{sub 1/2}K{sub 1/2}TiO{sub 3})-yBiZn{sub 1/2}Ti{sub 1/2}O{sub 3} (BNT-BKT-BZT) with y = (0.02;0.03;0.04) as a model system. Both the large- and small-signal parameters are studied as a function of electric field. The crystal structure is assessed by means of neutron diffraction in the initial state and after exposure to a high electric field. In order to measure ferroelastic domain textures, diffraction patterns of the poled samples are collected as a function of sample rotation angle. Piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) is employed to probe the microstructure for polar regions at a nanoscopic scale. For low electric fields E < 2 kV·mm{sup −1}, large- and small-signal constitutive behavior do not change with composition. At high electric fields, however, drastic differences are observed due to a field-induced phase transition into a long-range ordered state. It is hypothesized that increasing BZT content decreases the degree of non-ergodicity; thus, the formation of long-range order is impeded. It is suggested that frozen and dynamic polar nano regions exist to a different degree, depending on the BZT content. This image is supported by PFM measurements. Moreover, PFM measurements suggest that the relaxation mechanism after removal of the bias field is influenced by surface charges.
- OSTI ID:
- 22277984
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 115, Issue 8; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
BISMUTH COMPOUNDS
CONCENTRATION RATIO
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELECTRIC FIELDS
FERROELECTRIC MATERIALS
MICROSCOPY
MICROSTRUCTURE
NEUTRON DIFFRACTION
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
RELAXATION
ROTATION
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
TEXTURE
TITANATES
ZINC COMPOUNDS