Growth and ferroelectric properties of Bi4-xNdxTi3O12 single crystals

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth Vol. 310; no. 10; pp. 2471 - 2475
• Main Authors: Liang, Kun, He, Xiaoqing, Qi, Yajun, Lu, Chaojing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier 01.05.2008
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Dielectric, piezoelectric, ferroelectric and antiferroelectric materials; Dielectrics, piezoelectrics, and ferroelectrics and their properties; Exact sciences and technology; Growth from melts; zone melting and refining; Inorganic compounds; Materials science; Methods of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth; Niobates, titanates, tantalates, pzt ceramics, etc; Physics; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Structure of specific crystalline solids; Theory and models of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth, crystal morphology and orientation; Crystal growth; Temperature dependence; Curie point; Electrical properties; Property composition relationship; Bismuth oxide; A2. Single crystals; B1. Bi4-xNdxTi3O12; B2. Ferroelectrics; 81.10.-h; 74.72.-h; 77.84.-s; XRD; Leakage currents; Raman spectroscopy; Bismuth Titanates; Structure composition relationship; Neodymium Titanates; Monocrystals; Ferroelectric materials; Growth mechanism; Orthorhombic lattices; Crystal growth from melts
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2008.01.021

High-quality Bi4-xNdxTi3O12 (BNdT, x=,0.,0.85) single crystals were grown by the self-flux method using Bi2O3 as a flux. Effects of Nd substitution on the structure and electric properties of the crystals were investigated. X-ray diffraction results indicate that Nd substitution leads to the orthorhombic-tetragonal transition of BNdT structure. Ferroelectric properties and leakage currents of the BNdT crystals were measured along different directions. It was found that both the polarization and the leakage currents of the BNdT single crystals decrease with increasing Nd content. Raman spectra of the crystals at room temperature suggest that their Curie temperature Tc decreases with Nd substitution, in good agreement with the results of ferroelectric measurements.