Relaxor-like behavior of mechanically activated ultrafine SrTiO₃

Abstract

Dielectric properties of nanostructured strontium titanate samples sintered from nanoparticles obtained by grinding of previously synthesized SrTiO₃ and nanoparticles obtained by chemical deposition were studied in the temperature range 10–300 K. The first sample shows the characteristic features of a relaxor ferroelectric. The dispersion of the dielectric response observed in the vicinity of 40 K is characterized by two relaxation processes, with broad spectra of relaxation times. It is assumed that the “high-temperature” relaxation process is associated with the dynamics of the elastic domain. Possible mechanisms for the interaction of elastic deformation and polarization are discussed.

Keywords:

• Submicron
• strontium titanate
• dielectric relaxation
• ferroelastic domains

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Dr. N. Tolstykh for the preparation of experimental samples, to Dr. D. Sinetskaya for help with the performance of SEM studies and the chemical analysis and to Dr. E. Pilyuk for assistance for dielectric measurements.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Research Project No.18-52-00039 Bel_a).