Nonlinear dielectric response in the mixed K0.91(NH4)0.09H2PO4 crystal

The influence of bias and variable electric fields on the dielectric response of the K_0.91(NH₄)_0.09H₂PO₄ single crystal has been studied in the vicinity of the ferroelectric phase transition temperature T _C. Below T _C, the nonlinear response is caused mainly by the domain mechanism. This is confirmed, in particular, by observations of chaotic oscillations in a series RLC-circuit containing the studied sample as a capacitor C and excited by a sinusoidal voltage. Peculiarities of the behavior of the dielectric nonlinearity are found near the Curie temperature, which are explained by the emergence of an intermediate heterophase state.     

3D dependence of the dielectric dispersion in a BaTiO3 single crystal

The 3D dependences ?′(log f, T) and tanδ(logf, T) of a perfect BaTiO₃ single crystal grown by the Remeika method have been studied in the ranges f = 1–2 × 10⁷ Hz and T = ?80–130°C. These dependences characterize a transition from the paraelectric phase (121.5°C) as a near-antiferroelectric transition followed by the transition to the tetragonal phase at ～79.5°C. According to a number of signs, the range 121.5–79.5°C corresponds to a metastable phase typical of first-order phase transitions. The unexpected result of this work has been discussed with invoking the hypothesis on the BaTiO₃ structure in the paraelectric phase, according to which it consists of three antiferroelectric states oriented along the crystallographic axes. Using the dielectric properties of BaTiO₃ as an example, the method of direct correct determination of the temperatures of the structural transformations from the anomaly of tanδ(logf, T) has also been demonstrated.     

Phase transition and dielectric properties of Li2-x NaxGe4O9 crystals (0.2 ≤ x ≤ 0.3)

The dielectric nonlinearity of ferroelectric Li_2-x Na_xGe₄O₉ crystals (0.2 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) is measured in the region of the phase transition temperatures. The ?(T) dependences for various values of the applied dc electric field E ₌ and the ?(E ₌)_T dependences at a constant temperature are studied in the Li_2-x Na_xGe₄O₉ crystals with T _c > 300 K and T _c < 300 K. It is shown that the Landau theory for second-order phase transitions describes the dielectric properties of the crystals with T _c < 300 K and does not describe the behavior of the crystals with T _c > 300 K. The results obtained lead to the conclusion that the different properties of the crystals with T _c > 300 K are likely to be related to the changed structure of these crystals caused by a change in the ratio between the Li and Na atoms.     

X-ray, Mössbauer, and dielectric studies of the Co1 − x Ni x Cr2O4 ceramic system

The temperature dependences of the dielectric constant, ?(T), dielectric loss tangent, tanδ(T), and thermostimulated depolarization currents of (Co_{1 ? x} Ni _x )Cr₂O₄:y ⁵⁷Fe₂O₃ samples with 0.2 ≤ x ≤ 0.6 and 0.01 ≤ y ≤ 0.04 exhibit anomalies at temperatures of T ₁ ≈ 220 K and T ₂ ≈ 240 K that indicate a transition to an ordered ferroelectric state at temperatures below T ₂. Also observed at the same temperatures are abrupt changes in the isomer shift and quadrupole splitting for two Mössbauer spectral doublets of a sample with x = 0.2.     

Dielectric properties of a triglycine sulfate crystal grown with a transition through the Curie point

The dielectric properties of the triglycine sulfate (TGS) crystal grown by lowering the temperature with a transition through Curie point T_C during its growth are studied. The greatest values of low-frequency dielectric permittivity ε_max(T = T_C) and effective dielectric permittivity ε_eff(E₀) correspond to the layer of crystal formed at the temperature of the phase transition.     

Capacity and thermal conductivity of a nanocomposite chrysolite asbestos-KDP (KH2PO4)

A nanocomposite chrysotile-KDP (KH₂PO₄) was prepared. KDP was introduced into empty nanochannels of chrysotile asbestos with diameters of ～5 nm. Thermal conductivity κ and heat capacity at a constant pressure C _p of the samples of chrysotile asbestos and nanocomposite chrysotile asbestos-KDP were measured in a temperature range of 80–300 K. Based on the analysis of the behavior of temperature dependences κ(T) and C _p (T) of the composite, temperatures of the ferroelectric transition T _F for KDP in nanochannels of chrysotile asbestos were determined. It turned out to be equal to ～250 K at T _F ～ 122 K for massive KDP samples.     

Origin of dielectric relaxations in KHSeO4 above room temperature

The dispersion curves of the dielectric response for KHSeO₄ were obtained in the radio frequency range at several isotherms below the fast proton conducting phase (T?<?415 K). The results reveal a distinct dielectric relaxation at low frequency, which is about 682 Hz at 320 K, and then, it shifts to higher frequencies (～10 kHz) as the temperature increases. The f _max vs. reciprocal T shows an activated relaxation process with an activation energy of 0.5 eV, which is in close agreement with that associated with transport of charge carriers. We suggest that the observed dielectric relaxation could be attributed to polarization induced by the proton jump and selenate tetrahedral reorientations. The displacement of mobile H⁺ proton accompanied by SeO ₄ ^??2 tetrahedra reorientations creates structural distortion in both sublattices which induce localized dipoles like HSeO ₄ ^? .     

Electrical conductivity and dielectric properties of β-BaB<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> crystal in the temperature range 90–300 K

The electrical conductivity σ and dielectric properties (?, tanδ) of β-BaB₂O₄ were studied in the temperature range 90–300 K. The quantities σ, ?, and tanδ were measured at frequencies of 0.1, 1, and 10 kHz and 1 MHz. The dielectric permittivity and electrical conductivity were found to grow with increasing temperature at all frequencies. The permittivity decreases and the electrical conductivity increases (by several orders of magnitude) with increasing frequency. Maxima were observed in the σ=f(T) and tanδ=f(T) curves for all frequencies; the maxima shift toward higher temperatures with increasing frequency.     

Response of the capacitance and dielectric loss of the SrRuO<Subscript>3</Subscript>/SrTiO<Subscript>3</Subscript>/SrRuO<Subscript>3</Subscript> film heterostructures to variations in temperature and electric field

Three-layer epitaxial heterostructures with a 750-nm-thick intermediate strontium titanate layer between two strontium ruthenate conductive thin-film electrodes have been grown by laser deposition. Photolithography and ion etching have been used to form film parallel-plate capacitors based on the grown heterostructures. The capacitance (C) and dielectric loss tangent (tanδ) of the parallel-plate capacitors have been measured in the temperature range T = 4.2–300 K at an applied bias voltage of up to ±2.5 V and without it. At T > 100 K, the temperature dependence of the dielectric permittivity (ε) of the SrTiO₃ intermediate layer is well approximated by the Curie–Weiss law taking into account the capacitance induced by the penetration of an electric field into the oxide electrodes. At T ≈ 20 K, the dielectric permittivity ε of the SrTiO₃ intermediate layer decreases by approximately 20% in an electric field of 25 kV/cm. The dielectric loss tangent of the film capacitor heterostructures decreases monotonically with a decrease in the temperature in the range from 300 to 80 K and almost does not depend on the electric field strength. However, in the range from 80 to 4.2 K, the dielectric loss tangent increases nonmonotonically (abruptly) with a decrease in the temperature and decreases significantly in an applied electric field.     

Modification of the dielectric properties of copper-doped CdIn2S4 single crystal

The study of the dielectric properties of a CdIn₂S₄〈3 mol % Cu〉 single crystal in alternating-current (ac) electric fields with frequencies f = 5 × 10⁴?3.5 × 10⁷ Hz has revealed the origin of dielectric loss (relaxation loss that is changed by the through current loss at high frequencies). It has been found that CdIn₂S₄〈Cu〉 has permittivity increment Δ?′ = 123, relaxation frequency f _r = 2.3 × 10⁴ Hz, and relaxation time τ = 43 μs. The doping of CdIn₂S₄ single crystal with copper (3 mol %) is established to substantially increase the permittivity (?′), dielectric loss tangent (tanδ), and ac conductivity (σ_ac). In this case, the frequency dispersion of ?′ and tanδ increases and that of σ_ac decreases.     

Dielectric properties of (NH4)2SO4 crystals in the range of electronic excitations

Spectra of the real and imaginary parts of the pseudo‐dielectric permittivity, 〈?₁〉(E) and 〈?₂〉(E), of ferroelectric ammonium sulfate crystals, (NH₄)₂SO₄, have been measured in the range of electronic excitations 4.0 to 9.5 eV by ellipsometry using synchrotron radiation. Temperature dependences of the corresponding susceptibilities, 〈χ₁〉(T) and 〈χ₂〉(T), obtained for the photon energy E = 8.5 eV, related to excitations of oxygen p‐electrons, reveal sharp peak‐like temperature changes near the Curie point T_C = 223 K. The large temperature‐dependent increase of the imaginary part of the susceptibility χ₂(T), together with a simultaneous decrease of the real part of the susceptibility χ₁(T), take place at the phase transition. These anomalies have been ascribed mainly to the SO₄ group of the crystal structure.     

Ferroelectric films of deuterated glycine phosphite: Structure and dielectric properties

Polycrystalline textured films of deuterated glycine phosphite consisting of single-crystal blocks with lateral dimensions ～(50–100) μm and a thickness d ～ (1–5) μm have been grown by evaporation on NdGaO₃(100) and α-Al₂O₃ substrates with preliminarily deposited interdigitated electrodes, as well as on Al substrates. The c* (Z) crystallographic axis in the blocks is normal to the film plane, and the a (X) axis and the polar axis b (Y) are oriented in the film plane. The temperature dependences of the capacitance of the structures measured with the interdigitated electrode system reveal a strong dielectric anomaly at the film transition to the ferroelectric state. The phase transition temperature T _c depends on the degree of deuteration D of the glycine phosphite. The maximum value T _c = 275 K obtained in the structures studied corresponds to a degree of deuteration of the glycine phosphite D ～ 50%. The frequency behavior of the dielectric hysteresis loops in glycine phosphite films differs radically from that of the previously studied films of deuterated betaine phosphite, which evidences that polarization switching in these structures proceeds by different mechanisms. It has been that application of a dc bias to the electrodes changes the shape of the dielectric hysteresis loops and shifts them along the electric field axis. The shift of the loops depends on the sign, magnitude, and time of application of the bias. Possible mechanisms underlying the induced unipolarity are discussed.     

The pressure influence on the incommensurate-commensurate ferroelectric phase transition in [4-NH2C5H4NH][SbCl4]

The dielectric properties of the [4-NH₂C₅H₄NH] SbCl₄ (abbreviated as 4-APCA) crystal were investigated under hydrostatic pressure up to 300 Mpa. The pressure-temperature phase diagram was given. The paraelectric-ferroelectric phase transition (II→III) temperature (T_c) increases linearly with increasing pressure with a slope dT_c/dp=21×10⁻² K/MPa. The pressure dependence of Curie-Weiss constants has been evaluated also. In the paraelectric phase (II) the Curie constant (C₊) was pressure dependent whereas the C₋ constant over the ferroelectric phase (III) was almost constant. The results are interpreted in terms of improper and displacive type phase transition model with a soft phonon at a zone boundary.     

Specific heat of some phosphate compounds

Specific heats C^E_p of some phosphates have been measured on powder samples, in the temperature range 100–373 K. Anomalous behaviour of C^E_p (T) has been observed for Co(H₂PO₄)₂$\text{s}\text{?}$ 2H₃PO₄ and Mn(H₂PO₄)₂ 2H₃PO₄ around 190 K. In triclinic Ba(H₂PO₄)₂ a phase transition was found at about 147 K, i.e. at a somewhat higher temperature than according to previous dielectric measurements.     

Structural and magnetic phase transitions of kagome-like compounds REBaCo4O7 (RE=Dy,Ho, Er,Tm, Yb,Lu)

In a temperature range 5–300 K the specific heat C(T) on a new mixed valence cobalt oxides REBaCo₄O₇ (RE=Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu) was investigated. The first-order structural phase transitions from hexagonal P6₃mc to orthorhombic Cmc₂1 phase was indicated by a peak-like anomaly in C(T) curves at T_S～160, 178, 224, and 280 K for RE=Lu, Yb, Tm, and Er correspondingly. The magnetic phase transitions was indicated as the changes of slope on the C(T) curves were found at corresponding temperatures: T_N～50, 74, 98, and 98 K for RE=Lu, Yb, Tm, and Er, correspondingly.     

Dielectric dispersion in the incommensurate phases of [N(CH3)4]2CoCl4 and [N(CH3)4]2ZnCl4

The complex dielectric permittivity ?(ω) of [N(CH₃)₄]₂CoCl₄ and [N(CH₃)₄]₂ZnCl₄ along the a-axis was measured between 0.35 MHz and 100 MHz. It has been found that for both substances the relaxation frequencies are about 5 MHz at T_c. The dielectric relaxation of both substances could be described by a polydispersive process β = 0.74 in the vicinity of T_c. However, for the temperature region of (T?T_c) > 0.6 for [N(CH₃)₄]₂CoCl₄ the dielectric absorption seems to be rather monodispersive.     

Predominant factors affecting the dielectric and piezoelectric properties of bismuth-containing complex perovskite solid solution

To study the factors affecting the dielectric and piezoelectric properties of bismuth-containing complex perovskites, the solid solution (1−x)Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-xBi(Mg_2/3Nb_1/3)O₃ was prepared by the solid state reaction method and its dielectric and piezoelectric properties were investigated. It is found that (1) at room temperature, the nonlinearity of the DE-loop for Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃ is completely suppressed at a rather low x (<5%); (2) dielectric constant versus temperature curves deviate from the Curie-Weiss law at a temperature T_d much higher than the dielectric constant peak temperature T_m and T_m−T_d decreases considerably with increasing x; and (3) frequency dispersion ΔT_m=T_m (1 MHz)−T_m (10 kHz) increases with increasing x. Possible factors responsible for the variation of the dielectric and piezoelectric properties with x are discussed.     

Effect of electron and gamma irradiation on elastic characteristics of KTiOPO4 crystals

The elastic moduli C ₁₁ and C ₃₃ of KTiOPO₄ crystals unirradiated and irradiated by electrons and gamma quanta in the temperature range 100–330 K have been measured by the echo-pulse technique. It has been shown that C ₁₁ < C ₃₃ and, with increasing temperature, their values smoothly decrease; moreover, in the temperature range of the second-order phase transition at T ～ 281 K, the curves C ₁₁ = f(T) and C ₃₃ = f(T) exhibit anomalies in the form of a kink. It has been established that, under electron irradiation, the elastic moduli decrease and the phase transition temperature increases. Irradiation of KTiOPO₄ crystals by gamma quanta with a dose of 10⁷ R has no substantial effect on the dynamic characteristics of this crystal.     

Surface photoemission in the 4d band from polycrystalline silver surfaces

Surface induced local d-band states in the upper 4d band between ～ 4 and ～ 5.2 eV below E_Fermi have been identified for polycrystalline silver films in photoemission experiments using synchroton radiation. A thin over-coat (10 å) by an Al film leads to a depression of these surface induced local states whereas a change from s- to p-polarized excitation leads to an enhancement. Deposition of additional silver (～ 3 Å) at 120 K induces additional emission 4.2 eV below E_F with a FWHM of only ～ 0.4 eV.     

Dielectric relaxation and ferroelectricity in Cd2Nb2O7 pyrochlore

The dielectric dispersion of Cd₂Nb₂O₇ pyrochlore in a weak electric field was studied in a broad frequency range (100 Hz to 13 MHz) using the crystal samples slowly cooled (0.5 K/min) in the temperature interval from 300 to 80 K. As the temperature decreased down to T _c=196 K and T _max～190 K, the dielectric permittivity exhibited deviation from the Curie-Weiss law. It is suggested that this behavior is related to the development of a short-range correlation between microscopic polar regions formed at T→T _max ⁺ . The local order parameter q(T) ～ 〈P _i P _j 〉^1/2 was calculated using the permittivity ε′(T) measured at various frequencies. The variation of this parameter is compared to that of the spontaneous polarization P _s (T) determined from the measurements of a pyroelectric current in the external electric field E _dc =0.95 kV/cm. In the frequency range from 100 Hz to 13 MHz, the dispersion of the dielectric response in the temperature region of 180–192 K is characteristic of a relaxator ferroelectric featuring a glasslike behavior. The parameters of this state were determined, including the activation energy of the polarization fluctuations (E _a ≈0.01 eV), the relaxation rate at T → ∞ (f ₀=1.9×10¹² Hz), and the polarization fluctuation freezing temperature (T _f =183 K). In Cd₂Nb₂O₇ pyrochlore, in contrast to the known relaxator ferroelectrics of the PMN type studied previously, this state coexists with the normal ferroelectric state appearing at T _c.