Direct evidence of soft mode behavior near the Burns' temperature in PbMg$_{1 / 3}$Nb$_{2 / 3}$O$_{3}$ (PMN) relaxor ferroectric

Relaxor ferroelectrics are difficult to study and understand. The experiment shows that at low energy scattering there is an acoustic mode, an optic mode, dynamic quasi-elastic scattering and strictly elastic scattering as well as Bragg peaks at the zone centre. We have studied the scattering using the TASP spectrometer at PSI and have analysed the data using a model with interactions between the different components particularly to determine the properties of the elastic sca...

We propose a simple and solvable mean-field model of the scattering of transverse optic modes by Polarized Nano Regions (PNR) in the paraelectric phase of relaxor ferroelectrics. The PNR is assumed to be a ferroelectric sphere embedded in the host isotropic medium. The Lagrangian parameters are taken to be the same inside and outside the PNR, with exception of the soft-mode gap temperature dependence. The interaction of the Transverse (TO) with the longitudinal (LO) optic mod...

We analyze scattering of the transverse optic modes by spherically symmetric Polarized Nano Regions (PNR) in the paraelectric phase of relaxor ferroelectrics. Calculations have done in the frame of mean-field model early supposed by E.Iolin & J.Toulouse but depolarization field effects, DF, were taken into account. Elementary excitations of the system are found to be of two types - Vortex (V) and Quasi Polar (QP). DF decreases temperature of the local QP phase transition. The...

Using neutron elastic and inelastic scattering and high-energy x-ray diffraction, we present a comparison of 40% Pb(Mg$_{1/3}$Nb$_{2/3}$)O$_{3}$-60% PbTiO$_{3}$ (PMN-60PT) with pure Pb(Mg$_{1/3}$Nb$_{2/3}$)O$_{3}$ (PMN) and PbTiO$_{3}$ (PT). We measure the structural properties of PMN-60PT to be identical to pure PT, however, the lattice dynamics are exactly that previously found in relaxors PMN and PZN. PMN-60PT displays a well-defined macroscopic structural transition from ...

Combining our comprehensive investigations of polarization evolution, soft-mode by Raman scattering and microstructure by TEM, and the results reported in the literatures, we show that prototypical relaxor Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3 (PMN) is essentially ferroelectric for T<Tc~225 K. Its anomalous dielectric behavior over a broad temperature range results from the reorientation of domains in the crystal. A physic picture of the structure evolution in relaxor is also revealed. It is foun...

Experimental data obtained for PbFe$_{1 / 2}$Ta$_{1 / 2}$O$_{3}$ (PFT) and NaNbO$_{3}$: Gd (NaNbGd) single crystals show a diffused dielectric permittivity peak that is inherent to relaxor ferroelectrics. However some deviations from the normal relaxor properties were also observed and are under discussion. One of the key features of the relaxors is the existence of the Burns temperature, at which the polar regions appear. We found out that PFT shows this feature but the NaNb...

We show that the neutron diffuse scattering in relaxor ferroelectric (1-x)PbZn$_{1/3}$Nb$_{2/3}$O$_{3}$ - x PbTiO$_{3}$ (x=0.07) consists of two components. The first component is strictly elastic but extended in q-space and grows below 600 K. The second component, that was not reported before for the (1-x)PbZn$_{1/3}$Nb$_{2/3}$O$_{3}$ - x PbTiO$_{3}$ (x=0.07) relaxor ferroelectrics, is quasi-elastic with a line-width that has a similar temperature dependence as the width of ...

We have characterized the dynamics of the polar nanoregions in Pb(Mg$_{1/3}$Nb$_{2/3}$)O$_{3}$ (PMN) through high-resolution neutron backscattering and spin-echo measurements of the diffuse scattering cross section. We find that the diffuse scattering intensity consists of \emph{both} static and dynamic components. The static component first appears at the Curie temperature $\Theta \sim 400$ K, while the dynamic component freezes completely at the temperature T$_{f} \sim 200$...

Using neutron pair distribution function (PDF) analysis over the temperature range from 1000 K to 15 K, we demonstrate the existence of local polarization and the formation of medium-range, polar nanoregions (PNRs) with local rhombohedral order in a prototypical relaxor ferroelectric Pb(Mg$_{1/3}$Nb$_{2/3}$)O$_3$. We estimate the volume fraction of the PNRs as a function of temperature and show that this fraction steadily increases from 0 % to a maximum of $\sim$ 30% as the t...

Cold neutron scattering experiments have been performed to explore the energy, temperature, and wave-vector dependence of the diffuse scattering and the transverse acoustic (TA) phonons in the relaxor PbMg(1/3)Nb(2/3)O3. We have observed a weak, but definitive, diffuse scattering cross section above the Burns temperature T_d ~ 600 K. This cross section, which is most likely caused by chemical short-range order, persists down to 100 K, and coexists with the much stronger diffu...