Hysteresis in acoustic properties of ferroelectric relaxor Pb[(Zn1∕3Nb2∕3)0.955Ti0.045]O3 single crystals studied by Brillouin and dielectric spectroscopies

Abstract

Acoustic and dielectric properties of Pb͓͑Zn 1/3 Nb 2/3 ͒ 1−x Ti x ͔O 3 ͑PZN-xPT͒ single crystals with x = 0.045 have been studied by the high-resolution micro-Brillouin scattering and dielectric spectroscopy in a wide temperature range. The softening of the Brillouin shift and the increase of dielectric relaxation time upon cooling indicated the formation of polar nanoregions ͑PNRs͒ and the slowing down of their dynamics. In contrast to the acoustic properties of typical model relaxors such as lead magnesioniobate, the change in the Brillouin shift near its minimum became sharper on heating compared to the change on cooling, pointing to the clear existence of hysteresis in the dynamics of the diffuse phase transition in PZN-4.5%PT. Since the number of PNRs will increase upon cooling, it may be expected that the kinetics of the phase transition would become slower, the lower the transition temperature resulting in the more sluggish, broad feature of the Brillouin shift observed during cooling. This result may indicate that the number and size of polar nanoregions, which are dependent on temperature, play an important role in the development of the mesoscopic ferroelectric order in PZN-4.5%PT.

Elastic softening and polarization memory in PZN-PT relaxor ferroelectrics

“…Small elastic hysteresis between cooling and heating of unpoled PZN-4.5%PT through the t ↔ c transition has been observed previously 28 and is typical of first-order transitions. Some elastic hysteresis between poled and unpoled crystals was also expected since the bulk piezoelastic properties of a preferential alignment of t or r domains will differ from those of a crystal with randomly oriented domains.…”

Classical ferroelectriclike behavior of highly orderedPb(Sc1/2Nb1/2Sivasubramanian1, Subramanian2, Kojima3 2016Phys. Rev. B7150View full textAdd to dashboardCite

“…The dynamical aspects of the PNRs have been extensively studied in the prototype RFEs such as Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 (PMN) and Pb(Zn 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 (PZN) and other related systems through Brillouin light scattering studies [11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. Raman scattering studies revealed the existence of the intermediate temperature T…”

Brillouin Scattering Studies of Dynamics of Polar Nanoregions in Pb[(In1/2Nb1/2)0.65Ti0.35]O3 Single Crystals

“…9,10) Extensive studies of the dynamical aspects of PNRs have been carried out with the PMN-PT, PZN-PT, and Pb(Ni 1=3 Nb 2=3 )O 3 -PT systems through neutron and light scattering studies. [11][12][13][14][15][16][17] Brillouin scattering studies in these systems revealed many interesting features of PNRs such as the softening of the acoustic phonon mode and the appearance of a central peak (CP) below T B and the slowing down of relaxation time and the coupling between the polarization and local strain fluctuations. [14][15][16][17] The 1 : 1 type ferroelectric materials Pb(B 0 1=2 B 00 1=2 )O 3 are of special interest because their degree of ordering can be controlled by thermal treatment.…”

“…[11][12][13][14][15][16][17] Brillouin scattering studies in these systems revealed many interesting features of PNRs such as the softening of the acoustic phonon mode and the appearance of a central peak (CP) below T B and the slowing down of relaxation time and the coupling between the polarization and local strain fluctuations. [14][15][16][17] The 1 : 1 type ferroelectric materials Pb(B 0 1=2 B 00 1=2 )O 3 are of special interest because their degree of ordering can be controlled by thermal treatment. Pb(In 1=2 Nb 1=2 )O 3 (PIN) belongs to a class of Pb(B 0 1=2 B 00 1=2 )O 3 compounds that exhibit interesting dielectric properties depending on the degree of B site ordering.…”