Experimental studies of the influence of defects and impurities on structural phase transitions

Abstract

A review of experiments pertaining to the influence of defects and impurities on structural phase transitions is given. The systems covered are the KH₂P0₄-family, the TGS-family, the SrTiO₃-family and, finally, the K_1-x(Li, Na) _x TaO₃-system. Emphasis is placed on the influences of impurities and defects on static and dynamic critical and precritical effects, as well as their ability to induce glass-like precursor effects.