Vapour diffusion growth and characterisation of fully deuterated triglycine sulphate (ND2CD2COOD)3D2SO4

A new vial-in-vial vapour diffusion method for growing single crystals of fully deuterated triglycine sulphate (TGS) has been developed. Single crystals of hydrogenous TGS were also grown for comparison purposes. The crystals have been characterised using x-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry. The phase transition temperature was 334.0±0.5 K for fully deuterated TGS compared to 322.3±0.3 K for hydrogenous TGS. These values compare well with the expected T_C.     

Crystal structure and phase transition of single crystalline CsNH2SO3

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X‐ray diffraction measurements have been performed on cesium sulfamate CsNH₂SO₃ single crystal. Two distinct endothermic peaks in the DSC curves are observed at 330 and 436 K. It is pointed out that the peak at 330 K is attributed to the structural phase transition, and the other peak at 436 K is associated with the thermal decomposition of the crystal. The structures in room‐ and high‐temperasture phases are determined, and the space group of the sample crystal is found to change from monoclinic P 2₁/c to orthorhombic Pnma. The structure of the room‐temperature phase consists of two different types of N‐H···O hydrogen bond, but in the high‐temperature phase there is no specific hydrogen bond between the NSO₃ pseudo‐tetrahera. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Crystal Structure of RbD2PO4.D2O: A new Hydrate Phase of KDP‐type Compounds

The mono‐hydrate phase as well as the water‐free RbD₂PO₄ (DRDP) is obtained by crystal growth from fully deuterated aqueous solution. Its crystal structure was determined by combined neutron and X‐ray single crystal diffraction. It consists of double layers of PO₄ tetrahedra with D₂O planes in between. The PO₄ groups are linked by fully ordered deuterium bonds O‐D‐O. RbD₂PO₄.D₂O dehydrates below 329(5)K and undergoes a phase transition to RbD₂PO₄ (DRDP).     

High resolution neutron and X‐ray diffraction studies as a function of temperature and electric field of the ferroelectric phase transition of RDP

Neutron and high resolution X‐ray diffraction investigations on perfect single crystals of RbH₂PO₄ (RDP), a hydrogen bonded ferroelectric of KDP type are reported. The results of crystal structure analysis from diffraction data, below and above the paraelectric ‐ ferroelectric phase transition, support a disorder ‐ order character of [PO₄H₂]^‐‐groups. The tetragonal symmetry of the paraelectric phase with the double well potential of the hydrogen atoms obtained by diffraction, results simply from a time‐space average of orthorhombic symmetry. According to the group ‐ subgroup relation between the tetragonal space group I42d and the orthorhombic Fdd2 a short range order of ferroelectric clusters in the tetragonal phase is observed. With decreasing temperature the ferroelectric clusters increase and the long range interaction between their local polarisation vectors leads to the formation of lamellar ferroelectric domains with alternating polarisation directions at T_C = 147 K. From the high resolution X‐ray data it is concluded that below T_C the ferroelastic strain in the (a,b)‐plane leads to micro‐angle grain boundaries at the domain walls. The tilt angle is enhanced by an applied electric field parallel to the ferroelectric axis. The resulting dislocations at the domain walls persist in the paraelectric phase leading to a memory effect for the arrangement of twin lamellae. With increased electric field the phase transition temperature T_C is decreased. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Structural study on a new Cs2S2(SO4)3 crystal

A new type of dicesium disulfur trisulfate, Cs₂S₂(SO₄)₃, crystal has been crystallized. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X‐ray diffraction measurements have been performed on this compound. The crystal does not reveal any structural phase transition in the temperature range from 120 to 920 K. The compound belongs to a cubic system with space group P2₁3 at room temperature. It is found that both Cs and S atoms located on special positions are 93% occupied and 7% in exchange with each other. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Studies on a new Rb3H9(PO4)4 crystal

A new type of trirubidium nonahydrogen tetraphosphate, Rb₃H₉(PO₄)₄, crystal has been crystallized. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X‐ray diffraction measurements have been performed on the title compound. The crystal does not undergo any structural phase transition in the temperature range from 120 to 440 K except a melting transition at 399 K. The compound belongs to a monoclinic system with space group C2/c at room temperature. The structure is built on a framework of PO₄ tetrahedra linked by five types of OH‐O hydrogen bonds in the length range from 2.472(4) to 2.679(4) Å. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

In‐situ investigation of the temperature dependent structural phase transition in CuInSe2 by synchrotron radiation

The temperature dependent structural phase transition from the tetragonal chalcopyrite like structure to the cubic sphalerite like structure in CuInSe₂ was investigated by in‐situ high temperature synchrotron radiation X‐ray diffraction. The data were collected in 1K steps during heating and cooling cycles (rate 38 K/h). The Rietveld analysis of the diffractograms led us to determine the temperature dependence of the lattice parameters, including the tetragonal deformation, |1‐η|, and distortion |u‐¼| (η=c/2a, a and c are the tetragonal lattice constant; u is the anion x‐coordinate). The thermal expansion coefficients α_a and α_c of the tetragonal lattice constant which are related to the linear thermal expansion coefficient α_L were obtained, as were α_a of the cubic lattice constant, also α_u and α_η. The transition temperature is clearly identified via a strong anomaly in α_L. The temperature dependence of the anion position parameter was found to be rather weak, nearly α_u∼0, whereas α_η increases slightly. However, both increase strongly when approaching to within 10 K of the transition temperature (the critical region) and |1‐η| as well as |u‐¼| go to zero with |T‐T_trans|^0.2 approaching the phase transition. The cation occupancy values, derived from the Rietveld analysis, remain constant below the critical region. Close to the transition temperature, the number of electrons at the Cu site increases with a dercrease in the number of electrons at the In site with increasing temperature, indicating a Cu‐In anti site occupancy, which is assumed to be the driving force of the phase transition. At the transition temperature 67% of Cu⁺ were found to occupy the Me1 site with a corresponding 67% of In³⁺ at the Me2 site. Although full disorder is reached with 50%, this level seems to be high enough that the phase transition takes place. The order parameter of the phase transition, goes with |T‐T_trans|^β to zero with the critical exponent β=0.35(7) which is in good agreement to the critical exponent β=0.332 calculated for order‐disorder transitions according to the Ising model. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Effect of annealing temperature on the structural and optical properties of amorphous Sb2Te2Se thin films

Thin films of Sb₂Te₂Se were prepared by conventional thermal evaporation of the presynthesized material on Corning glass substrates. The chemical composition of the samples was determined by means of energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectrometry. X‐ray diffraction studies on the as‐deposited and annealed films revealed an amorphous‐to‐crystalline phase transition. The as‐deposited and annealed films at T _a = 323 and 373 K are amorphous, while those annealed at T _a= 423 and 473 K are crystalline with a single‐phase of a rhombohedral crystalline structure as that of the source material. The unit‐cell lattice parameters were determined and compared with the reported data. The optical constants (n , k ) of the investigated films were determined from the transmittance and reflectance data at normal incidence in the spectral range 400–2500 nm. The analysis of the absorption spectra revealed non‐direct energy gaps, characterizing the amorphous films, while the crystalline films exhibited direct energy gaps. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Low‐temperature elastic and dielectric properties of K3Na(SO4)2 crystals

Elastic and dielectric properties of glaserite K₃Na(SO₄)₂ single crystal were examined using the method of composite oscillators, Brillouin light scattering methods and dielectric spectroscopy. Measurements were performed in the temperature range from 18 K to 300 K. Anomalies in the temperature dependencies of Brillouin shift and dielectric permittivity at about 70 K confirmed the earlier predicted phase transition at 75 ± 25 K. Temperature dependences of the resonance frequency of the vibrating composite oscillator, Brillouin shift measured in the [110] direction, components of dielectric permittivity tensor reveal an anomaly at about 50 K. Moreover, thermal hysteresis of the dielectric permittivity suggested the presence of an incommensurate state between T ₁ = 50 K and T ₂ = 70 K. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Optical,X-ray,and calorimetric studies of phase transitions in ND4BeF3

Phase transitions in ND₄BeF₃ crystals at T₁ = 330 and T₂ = 245 K were studied by specific heat (DSC) and X-ray lattice parameters measurements in function of temperature. These ferroelastic transitions are accompanied by anomalous heat absorption, sudden changes in the unit cell parameters and crystal symmetry. Formation of domain structure in particular phases examined under a polarizing microscope is also described. Domain walls of the type (100), (010), and (001) observable at room temperature indicate on the triclinic symmetry of the Phase II. Above T₁ the crystal becomes orthorhombic. First-order phase transition at T₂ causes the symmetry of the crystal in the Phase III to be monoclinic with the c-axis unique. The phase transition diagram is proposed and compared with the phase situation in nondeuterated NH₄BeF₃ crystals.     

Dielectric properties of betaine phosphite and deuterated betaine phosphite films

Polycrystalline films of betaine phosphite (BPI) and deuterated BPI have been grown by evaporation on LiNbO₃, α-SiO₂, α-Al₂O₃, and NdGaO₃ substrates. These films consist of large single-crystal blocks in which the polar axis (b) lies in the substrate plane. The results of studying the dielectric properties of the films using interdigital electrodes, X-ray diffraction, and block images in a polarized-light microscope in reflection are reported. The film transition into the ferroelectric state at T = T _c is accompanied by strong anomalies of the capacitance of the film/interdigital structure/substrate structure. The deuteration of BPI films leads to an increase in their temperature T _c: from T _c = 200 K for BPI-based structures to T _c = 280 K for structures with a high degree of deuteration (d ∼ 90%).     

Structural Phase Transition of an Intercalation Compound Mn1/4NbS2

Abstract

A structural phase transition of an intercalation compound Mn_1/4NbS₂ has been investigated by X-ray diffraction at high temperatures. The lattice parameter c exhibited a discontinuous change at 640K. The superlattice reflections observed below 640K disappeared suddenly above 640K. The phase transition at 640K took an aspect of the first-order phase transition. The precise structure analyses were performed at various temperatures above and below the phase-transition temperature. It was revealed that Mn atoms were arranged in disorder in the high-temperature phase, while the Mn atoms were ordered forming the 2a ₀ × 2a ₀ × c ₀ superlattice in the low-temperature phase. The Nb and S atoms around the ordered Mn atoms slightly shifted from the high-symmetry position in the low-temperature phase. The order parameters were the degree of order of the Mn atoms and the degree of displacement of the Nb and S atoms.     

Synthesis and characterization of single crystals of the layered copper hydroxide acetate Cu2(OH)3(CH3COO)·H2O

Single‐crystals of the layered copper hydroxide acetate Cu₂(OH)₃(CH₃COO)·H₂O were synthesized by heating copper acetate solution at 60 °C. The standard synthesis of the title compound based on slow titration of copper acetate solution with NaOH yielded materials with worse morphology and an additional phase present. The obtained products were characterized with powder X‐ray diffraction, high temperature powder X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy. The crystal structure was determined from single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction data, collected both at 120 K and at 293 K. The title compound crystallizes in the monoclinic botallackite‐type layered structure, space group P 2₁, with the lattice parameters a = 5.5776(3) Å, b = 6.0733(2) Å, c = 18.5134(8) Å, β = 91.802(4)° and a = 5.5875(4)Å, b = 6.0987(4) Å, c = 18.6801(10)Å, β = 91.934(5)° for 120 K and for 293 K, respectively. Acetate groups and water molecules are interlayered between corrugated sheets of edge‐sharing CuO6 octahedra exhibiting strong distortion resulted from the Jahn‐Teller effect. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Invar effect in PbFe<Subscript>1/2</Subscript>Nb<Subscript>1/2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> ceramics

High-density lead ferroniobate PbFe_1/2Nb_1/2O₃ (PFN) is prepared by conventional ceramic technology. Its structural properties are studied in a wide temperature range (293 ≤ T ≤ 973 K). The following chain of phase transitions is established in the vicinity of the transition to the polar phase: Rh (rhombohedral phase) (T < 363 K) → Psc (pseudo-cubic phase) (363 < T < 387 K) → C (cubic phase) (T > 387 K). The paraelectric range contains five ranges of constant unit-cell volume (invar effect): I (387 ≤ T ≤ 413 K), II (433 ≤ T ≤ 463 K), III (553 ≤ T ≤ 613 K), IV (743 ≤ T ≤ 773 K), and V (798 ≤ T ≤ 823 K). It is shown that the anomalous behavior of the PFN dielectric characteristics above the Curie temperature, which was revealed previously, is associated with the specific features of its real (defect) structure, which is caused by the crystal-chemical specificity of the main structure-forming agents: α-Fe₂O₃ and α_ht-Nb₂O₅.     

Transport Properties of (NH4)2 CuCl4.2H2O Low Dimensional Single Crystals

The X‐ray diffraction and Infrared (IR) spectral studies of (NH₄)₂ CuCl₄.2H₂O single crystals reveals that these crystals contains tetragonal crystal structure with the unit cell dimensions of a = 7.58Å, c = 7.95Å, z= 2, β =90° and two water molecules in the unit cell. The temperature dependence of thermally stimulated depolarization current (TSDC) and dc electrical conductivity (σ) studies of this two‐dimensional (NH₄)₂ CuCl₄.2H₂O single crystal have been carried out in 77K–300K temperature region. The TSDC thermograph shows only one sharp peak at 248K with a peak current of 130nA, which is attributed to the Maxwell‐Wagner peak. The activation energy (U), relaxation time (τ) are calculated as 0.78eV and 3.44×10^‐15 s respectively. Dc electrical conductivity studies of these crystals show a first order phase transition at about 248K.     

Crystal structure refinement of CuxAg1‐xInTe2 bulk material determined from X‐ray powder diffraction data using the Rietveld method

The influence of the Cu‐content in the quaternary compounds Cu_xAg_1‐xInTe₂ (0 ≤ x ≤1) on the structural properties of the bulk material was discussed. Bulk ingot materials of Cu_xAg_1‐xInTe₂ solid solutions (x = 0.0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.0) have been synthesized by fusion of the constituent elements in the stoichiometric ratios in vacuum‐sealed silica tubes. The materials compositions were confirmed by using energy dispersive analysis of X‐rays (EDAX). X‐ray powder diffraction measurements were performed for all the prepared samples at 300 K in step scanning mode. The analysis of X‐ray data has indicated that the crystal structure of the prepared materials with different compositions is single‐phase polycrystalline materials corresponding to the tetragonal chalcopyrite structure with space group I 2d. The crystal structural parameters were refined by Rietveld method using the Full Prof program. The refined lattice constants (a and c), anion positional parameter, u, and the determined bond distances and angles were found to vary with composition, x, attaining zero tetragonal distortion at x ≈ 0.75, which corresponds to an ideal tetragonal unit cell. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Synthesis,characterization and impedance spectroscopy of the new material [(CH3) (C6H5) 3P] 2CoBr4: a member of the A2BX4 family

The crystal structure of bis‐(methyltriphenylphosphonium) tetrabromocobaltate (II), [(C₁₉H₁₈P)₂ CoBr₄] is determined: M_r = 933.203, monoclinic, P2₁, a = 9. 6977 (3) Å, b = 12.5547 (4)Å, c = 16.4503 (6)Å, β = 105.603 (2)°, V = 1929.04 (11)ų, Z = 2, D_x = 1.607 Mg m^‐3, T = 298 K. Differential thermal analysis at high temperatures shows three endothermic peaks characterizing four phases, with onset temperatures at T₁= 313±2 K, T₂ = 320±4 K and T₃= 360±1 K. The structural instability detected via the temperature dependence of permittivity at T₁ is ascribed to order‐disorder transition associated with cation dipole reorientation. Permittivity and ac conductivity studies as a function of temperature (295 K‐375 K) and frequency (0.11 kHz < f <100 kHz) are presented. The results indicate the importance of the cation size and shape on the phase transitions in the system. Bulk conductivity behavior is thermally activated. The associated activation energies are in the range 2.9 to 1.0 eV depending on the temperature regime. Two contributions to the ac conductivity, one dominating at low temperatures and high frequencies which are characterized by superlinear frequency exponent and the second dominates at high temperatures characterized by a sublinear frequency exponent. The behavior is interpreted in terms of the jump relaxation model. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Growth and electrical properties of epitaxial CuInS2 thin films on GaAs substrates

CuInS₂ thin films with thicknesses in the range of 500 Å were deposited onto semi-insulating (111) A-oriented GaAs substrates by flash evaporation in the substrate temperature range T_sub = 570 … 870 K. Epitaxial growth begins at T_sub = 645 K. The films had always the chalcopyrite structure. Indications to a transition from the chalcopyrite phase to the sphalerite phase were observed at T_sub = 870 K. Films grown at T_sub ≦ 800 K showed n-type conductivity whereas at growth temperatures T_sub ≧ 850 K the films were always p-type conducting. A donor level and an acceptor level with ionization energies of 0.24 eV and 0.22 eV, respectively, were found from an analysis of the electrical measurements.     

Study of the structure of PyHReO4 under high pressure

The structure of deuterated pyridinium perrhenate (d₅PyH)ReO₄ (C₅D₅NHReO₄) is studied by X-ray diffraction at room temperature and pressures up to 3.5 GPa and by neutron diffraction in the temperature range 10–293 K and at pressures up to 2.0 GPa. Under normal conditions, this compound belongs to the orthorhombic space group Cmc2₁ (ferroelectric phase II). At room temperature and pressures above P > 0.7 GPa, a transition to an orthorhombic phase (paraelectric phase II) is observed. This paraelectric phase is described by the space group Cmcm. At a pressure as high as P = 2.0 GPa, phase I remains stable at temperatures down to 10 K. This fact indicates that the high pressure suppresses the ferroelectric state in deuterated pyridinium perrhenate (d₅PyH)ReO₄.     

EPR and pulsed NMR study of (NH4)2ZnBr4:Mn2+

The EPR and pulsed NMR measurements of (NH₄)₂ZnBr₄:Mn²⁺ have been carried out in the temperature range 110–473 K and 83–284 K, respectively. EPR spectra from three different paramagnetic entities have been observed. Intensity changes of certain lines in the EPR spectrum observed at ≈ 430 K indicate the occurrence of a phase transition. Another phase transition at ≈ 235 K is indicated as a change of slope in the T₁ vs 1/T curve.