Pre-Transitional Effect and an Intermediate Phase in the Antiferroelectric PbZr_0.80Sn_0.20O₃ Single Crystal

Abstract

The temperature dependences of electrostrictive strain and birefringence for a PbZr_0.80Sn_0.20O₃ single crystal have been measured with a high accuracy close to the high temperature phase transitions into the paraelectric phase. Characteristic features are the existence of local maxima on M ₁₁(T) dependence and irregular Δn(T) dependences that indicate existence of an intermediate phase between the antiferroelectric and paraelectric phase. Above T_C a local Δn(T) maximum appears on heating caused probably by interactions of polar regions embedded in the non-polar cubic matrix. The existence of these regions could be accounted for by a disorder of Sn ions in the lead zirconate lattice.

Keywords:

• Antiferroelectricity
• electrostrictive strain
• birefringence
• phase transitions

PACS:

• 77.80.-e
• 77.65.Bn
• 78.20.Fm
• 77.80.B-