Abstract
Acoustic properties of antiferroelectric (AFE) PbZr0.72Sn0.28O3 single crystals were investigated in a wide temperature range by Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy. The Brillouin frequency shift of the longitudinal acoustic (LA) mode exhibited three abrupt changes corresponding to the successive phase transitions between the paraelectric, intermediate, antiferroelectric (AFE2) and antiferroelectric (AFE1) phases upon cooling. The change in the LA mode frequency and the damping maximum of PbZr0.72Sn0.28O3 were much higher than those of pure PbZrO3. This was attributed to enhanced polarization fluctuations caused by increased ferroelectric distortions due to Sn substitution and the proximity to the tricritical point on the phase diagram of PbZr1-xSnxO3.
Funding
This work was supported by the Defense Research Laboratory Program of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and the Agency for Defense Development of Republic of Korea, and by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (2013R1A1A2006582).