Phase transition and random-field induced domain wall response of SrTi O 3

The dielectric permittivity ε^′ - i of SrTi ¹⁸O ₃ (STO18) is studied under a dc electric field E as a function of the temperature, T. In ε^′ vs. T, a double-peak is found when 0 < E < 30 KV/m. While the peak at high-T is attributed to the smeared ferroelectric phase transition, the low-T one is induced by domain wall motion. The transverse Ising model including an external homogeneous and quenched random-fields is successfully used to describe both the smeared phase transition and the domain wall response in the low-T domain state. The calculations are in good agreement with the experimental results. Received 4 January 2002 / Received in final form 25 March 2002 Published online 19 July 2002     

Linear birefringence studies of structural phase transitions of KCdF3

Two weakly discontinuous structural phase transitions have been observed on single domains of KCdF₃ at T_c1 = 487.5 K and at T_c2 = 472.7 K in the temperature dependence of the linear birefringence (LB). Beginning with the cubic high temperature phase the crystal becomes successively uniaxial and biaxial birefringent. Within the classical Landau approximation the LB has proved to be proportional to the square of the respective order parameter of the transformations. A relation which describes the coupling between both order parameters is discussed. In disagreement with Hidaka et al. [7] we do not observe a third phase transition near 240 K by the LB technique.     

Compounds containing CSF4 and CS+F4

The preparations of CH₂SF₄ and CH₃CHSF₄ are presented and the structures are discussed. Addition reactions of polar species give a wide range of new compounds, like Hg(CH₂SF₅)₂, F₄AsCH₂SF₅, cisBrSF₄CH₃, cisF₅SeOSF₄CH₂Br, a.o. While CH₂SF₄ decomposes at room temperature slowly to CH₂CH₂ and SF₄, at high temperatures HF and CSF₂ are formed. CH₃CHSF₄ gives mainly CH₃CHF₂ at room temperature. The “saturated” compounds CH₃SF₅ and C₂H₅SF₅ have been prepared. They react with SbF₅ in SO₂ at low temperatures to form the cations CH₃SF₄⁺ and C₂H₅SF₄⁺. The CH₃SF₄⁺ ion has been investigated in detail by nmr methods at low temperatures. It decomposes to CH₃ and SF₄, which react further in the SO₂/SbF₅ system to CH₃OSO⁺ and SF₃⁺.     

(Sr,Mn)TiO3: a magnetoelectric multiglass

By close analogy with multiferroic materials with coexisting long-range electric and magnetic orders a "multiglass" scenario of two different glassy states is observed in Sr(0.98)Mn(0.02)TiO(3) ceramics. Sr-site substituted Mn2+ ions are at the origin of both a polar and a spin glass with glass temperatures T(g) approximately equal to 38 K and < or =34 K, respectively. The structural freezing triggers that of the spins, and both glassy systems show individual memory effects. Thanks to strong spin-phonon interaction within the incipient ferroelectric host crystal SrTiO3, large higher order magnetoelectric coupling occurs between both glass systems.