Variations of Structure and Dielectric Properties on Substituting A-site Cations for Sr2+ in (Na1/2Bi1/2)TiO3

Abstract

Changes in structure and phase transition behavior of (Na_1/2Bi_1/2)_1−xSr_xTiO₃ were investigated using x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and dielectric measurements. A decrease in the degree of lattice distortion was observed when the structure was rhombohedral (x < 0.26). Further substitution of Sr²⁺ (x ≥ 0.26) caused (Na_1/2Bi_1/2)_1−xSr_xTiO₃ to show no macroscopic lattice distortion. However, all investigated samples (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) were ferroelectric at room temperature regardless of the lack of lattice distortion found in XRD patterns. Further XRD investigations revealed that nonuniform strains caused by nonuniform polarized islands were responsible for this behavior. A-site cation substitution of Sr²⁺ also resulted in the decrease of T_max (the temperature where dielectric constant is maximum). Typical relaxor ferroelectric phase transition behavior, associated with the shift of T_max, with respect to the measuring frequencies, was found above x = 0.18. This could be also ascribed to the decrease of T_max—this reveals the increase in the shift of T_max with frequency, with associated decrease in ionic displacement and space charge contributions and associated increase in the relative contribution to the polarization by microdomains and domain walls at temperatures near T_max.