Le matériau BiFeO3 (BFO) est le sujet de très nombreuses études fondamentales dans le domaine des matériaux multiferroïques. Cet intérêt est du au fait que cet oxyde présente deux ordres à longue distance à la température ambiante : ferroélectricité et antiferromagnétisme de type G (ce dernier est aussi non colinéaire avec la présence de faible ferromagnétisme ainsi qu'une modulation de spin de type cycloïdale possédant une longueur d'onde de 620 angstrœm). Il est alors possible d'étudier les comportements de couplage entre les propriétés électrique et magnétique. Ce travail concerne principalement la synthèse, les structures haute température, et les propriétés physiques (électronique et magnétique principalement) du matériau BiFeO3 ayant subi des recuits de différentes pressions partielles d'oxygène. La première étape de ce travail concerne l'étude de la synthèse afin de déterminer le protocole optimal de réalisation des céramiques. Les recuits sous atmosphère ont eu pour but de modifier la stœchiométrie en oxygène du matériau, afin d'affecter ses propriétés physiques. Des modifications de faible amplitude de certaines propriétés ont été détectées, mais à l'inverse, la température de Néel et la température de Curie ne sont pas affectées.Concernant la nature des structures haute température, les phases beta et gamma, sujettes à de nombreuses controverses dans la littérature, ont été étudiées par diffraction des rayons X et analyse DSC sur BFO pur ou avec excès de bismuth. Cet excès a permis de stabiliser la phase gamma entre 940 et 950°C, en évitant sa décomposition. Pour compléter ce travail sur BFO en phase pure, nous avons dopé des céramiques avec 10 % de Zr4+ pour étudier le comportement structurale à haute température, ainsi que les propriétés magnétiques et électriques de cette nouvelle composition. Enfin, des simulations numériques sur le composé stœchiométrique, lacunaire en bismuth ou en oxygène ont été réalisées pour comprendre les évolutions structurale, électronique et magnétique du matériau suite aux recuits. La dernière partie est une étude sur le comportement basse température de BFO pur sous différentes formes : nanotubes, céramiques et monocristaux. Nous avons analysé le comportement électrique (impédance, pyroélectricité, RPE et électrostriction), magnétique (aimantation en fonction de la température et du champ magnétique) et structurale (rayon X en thêta-2thêta et rasant, DSC, microRaman et résonance d'ultrasons). Suite à ces études, trois températures sont observées comme présentant un comportement particulier : 140 et 200 K, qui semblent liées par de nombreuses techniques d'analyses et ressortent comme étant une transition à la surface de BFO, mais aussi 180 K où nous avons un écart à la linéarité de la dilatation thermique et un effet d'électrostriction.

Les multiferroïques sont des matériaux qui présentent la rare propriété de posséder simultanément un ordre magnétique et un ordre ferroélectrique qui interagissent via le couplage magnétoélectrique. Un tel couplage est un enjeu considérable dans l'électronique de spin et le stockage de l'information car il offre l'opportunité de contrôler les spins via un champ électrique et vice versa. Les multiferroïques se séparent en deux grandes familles. Les types I comme BiFeO3 qui présentent une coexistence des ordres magnétique et ferroélectrique et les types II comme TbMnO3 où la ferroélectricité est induite par la structure de spin. Dans BiFeO3 la coexistence et l'interaction des ordres offrent l'opportunité de contrôler les spins via un champ électrique. En développant un dispositif transistor pour l'application du champ électrique sur les monocristaux de BiFeO3 à température ambiante, nous avons montré que la fréquence des ondes de spin peut être modifiée électriquement de 30%. Ces résultats ont montré que BiFeO3 est un matériau très prometteur pour la génération et le contrôle d'onde de spin dans les futurs dispositifs magnoniques. Dans TbMnO3 la filiation des ordres donne naissance à des excitations hybrides : des électromagnons, excitations d'onde de spin possédant un dipôle électrique. Nous avons mis en évidence par diffusion Raman l'existence de cette onde de spin polaire ainsi que la deshybridation de ces excitations lors de l'application d'un champ magnétique. Ce champ fait transiter TbMnO3 d'un état ferroélectrique à un état paraélectrique permettant de dévoilé les composantes magnétique et électrique élémentaires à l'origine des électromagnons.

Submitted by Automa??o e Estat?stica (sst@bczm.ufrn.br) on 2017-11-22T20:32:41Z No. of bitstreams: 1 AlcineyMirandaCabral_TESE.pdf: 9055485 bytes, checksum: 069ff7e30ae747a94ed4317fcd5f7186 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Arlan Eloi Leite Silva (eloihistoriador@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-11-23T22:39:21Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 AlcineyMirandaCabral_TESE.pdf: 9055485 bytes, checksum: 069ff7e30ae747a94ed4317fcd5f7186 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-11-23T22:39:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 AlcineyMirandaCabral_TESE.pdf: 9055485 bytes, checksum: 069ff7e30ae747a94ed4317fcd5f7186 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-06-20 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior (CAPES) / O desafio inovador deste trabalho foi aplicar o m?todo qu?mico de S?ntese por Rea??o de Combust?o adaptada ?s perovskitas multiferr?icas BiFeO3, nas suas formas monof?sicas. Inicialmente, foi realizado a s?ntese para o BFO nas temperaturas ap?s a rea??o (BFOP.C.), a 700 oC (antes da Temperatura de Curie, BFO700) e a 830oC (pr?xima a Temperatura de Curie, BFO830). Na segunda etapa da s?ntese, foi definida a temperatura de 700 oC no sistema de dopagens LaxBi1-xFeO3 (x= 0.00, 0.10, 0.20 e 0.30), formando BFO700, L0.10BFO700, L0.20BFO700 e L0.30BFO700. Os materiais sintetizados foram caracterizados por Refinamento de Rietveld (DRX ? Rietveld), Espectroscopia no Infravermelho M?dio com Transformada de Fourier (FTIR), Microscopia Eletr?nico de Varredura com Espectroscopia por Energia Dispersiva (MEV/EDS/MAPEAMENTO), An?lises T?rmicas (TG/DTA), Propriedades Magn?ticas e El?tricas (???,??,??? ? ??? ?). Os resultados das an?lises dos par?metros estruturais, el?tricos e magn?ticos das perovskita de BiFeO3 (BFO) nas fases monof?sicas, indicaram simetria/grupo espacial Rombo?drica/?3? (BFOP.C.), Rombo?drica/?3? (BFO700) e Tricl?nica/?1 (BFO830) nas cer?micas. As dopagens por La3+ nas amostras BFO700, L0.10BFO700, L0.20BFO700 e L0.30BFO700 proporcionam diferentes valores Magn?ticos de Satura??es e resultaram Romboedral/?3? - 0.011314 ??.[?.?.]?1, Ortorr?mbico/???? - 0.006516 ??.[?.?.]?1, Ortorr?mbico/???? - 0.011503 ??.[?.?.]?1e Ortorr?mbico/???? - 0.009509 ??.[?.?.]?1respectivamente. As an?lises por FTIR/DRX ? Rietveld evidenciaram vibra??es caracter?sticas em 530.34, 531.61 e 551.51cm-1 que atribu?dos s?o ?s perovskitas de BiFeO3 com distor??o octaedral (FeO6). O estudo das estruturas sintetizadas apontaram para as cer?micas antiferromagneticas com distor??o octaedral. Na faixa 0 ? 0.5 GHz a dieletricidade das cer?micas foi maior que 6 e a tangente de perdas menores que -0.13. O fator de qualidade da antena com as amostras cer?micas apresentaram valores entre -10 dB e -25dB. Os resultados indicaram o alto potencial do BFO e LBFO como substratos cer?micos qu?micos em antenas magnetoferr?icas. / The innovative challenge of this work was to apply the chemical synthesis method by combustion reaction adapted to multiferroic perovskite in the forms BiFeO3 single. Initially, the synthesis of the BFO in temperatures after the reaction (BFOP. C.), 700 oC (before to curie temperature, BFO700) and 830 oC (near to curie temperature, BFO830). Secondly, the synthesis was defined the temperature of 700 oC in the doping system LaxBi1-xFeO3 (x= 0.00, 0.10, 0.20 and 0.30), forming BFO700, L0.10BFO700, L0.20BFO700 and L0.30BFO700. The sintetized materials were characterized by Rietveld Refinement (DRX ? Rietveld), Medium Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT ? IR), Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X ? ray Spectroscopy (SEM/EDX/MAPPING), Thermical Analysis (TG/DTA), Magnetic and Electrical Properties (???,??,??? and ??? ?). The analytical results of the structural parameters, eletrics and magnetics of the perovskites of BiFeO3 (BFO), in the single phases, indicated symmetry/space group Rhombohedral/?3? (BFOP.C.), Rhombohedral/?3? (BFO700) and Triclinic/?1 (BFO830) in the ceramics. The doping by La3+ in the samples BFO700, L0.10BFO700, L0.20BFO700 and L0.30BFO700 showed different magnetic saturation of materials, resulting in Rhombohedral/?3? - 0.011314??.[?.?.]?1, Orthorhombic/???? - 0.006516 ??.[?.?.]?1, Orthorhombic/???? - 0.011503 ??.[?.?.]?1and Orthorhombic/???? - 0.009509 ??.[?.?.]?1 respectively. The analysis by FT ? IR/XRD ? Rietveld showed vibration characteristics in 530.34, 531.61 and 551.51cm-1 that are attribute to perovskites of BiFeO3 with octahedral distortion (FeO6). The study of the sintetized structures pointed for the antiferromagnetic ceramics with an behaviour octaedral distortion. In the range 0 ? 0.5 GHz, the dielectricity of the ceramics was more that 6 and the smaller loss tangent that -0.13. The quality factor of the antenna with the ceramic samples presented value between -10 dB and -25dB. The results indicated the potential high of the BFO and LBFO as substrates chemical ceramics in magnetoferroic antennas.

De tous les matériaux multiferroïques, BiFeO3 est celui qui est le plus étudié. C’est un ferroélectrique, antiferromagnétique dont les températures de transition sont bien au-dessus de la température ambiante. De plus, le couplage magnétoélectrique entre ces deux paramètres d’ordre a été observé aussi bien dans les cristaux que dans les couches minces. BiFeO3 possède également la plus grande polarisation ferroélectrique jamais mesurée, 100µC/cm². De gros efforts sont fournis pour comprendre et exploiter les propriétés physiques de ce matériau. Dans ce but, il est important de pouvoir contrôler sa structure en domaines afin d’étudier les phénomènes émergeant aux parois de ces domaines. C’est l’objectif de cette thèse : étudier quelques une des propriétés de BiFeO3, comme la photoélectricité et le magnétisme, tout en prêtant en parallèle une attention particulière à la caractérisation de ces propriétés, dans un domaine et dans une paroi, avec des techniques originales telles que la microscopie de photocourants à balayage (MPB) et le rayonnement synchrotron ou les champs magnétiques intenses. Les images obtenues par MPB, révèlent qu’un champ dépolarisant proche d’une paroi de domaine à 180° peut améliorer de manière significative le rendement des effets photoélectriques : les parois de domaines peuvent être générées et positionnées dans le but de contrôler localement le rendement de l’effet photoélectrique. De plus, l’imagerie de la figure de diffraction de surface d’un réseau de parois de domaines dans des couches minces, par diffusion magnétique résonante de rayons X, permet de montrer que les parois de domaines entraînent la formation de structures magnétiques particulières qui pourraient donner lieu à une aimantation. / Among all multiferroics, BiFeO3 is a material of choice because its two ordering temperatures are well above 300K. It is a ferroelectric antiferromagnet, and magnetoelectric coupling has been demonstrated in bulk and in thin films. Remarkably, BiFeO3 has the largest polarization of all known ferroelectrics (100µC/cm²). A huge research effort is carried out worldwide to understand and exploit the physical properties of this material which requires to design and tailor BiFeO3 on many scales. In this sense, developing methods and tools to control the domain structure is essential to explore new emergent phenomena arising at domain walls. This is the aim of the present PhD work. Some of the original properties of BiFeO3 have been investigated including its photoelectric and magnetic properties. A particular attention is given to characterize in a parallel fashion bulk properties and domain walls properties, using original techniques of characterization such as Scanning Photocurrent Microscopy (SPCM), scattering synchrotron facilities or high field pulses. SPCM mapping reveals that depolarizing fields in the vicinity of a 180° domain wall can significantly improve the photovoltaic efficiency. Thus domain walls can be generated and precisely positioned in order to tailor the local photovoltaic efficiency. Moreover, X-ray resonant magnetic scattering on thin films with periodic domain structure shows that domain walls generate specific magnetic structures with possible uncompensated magnetization.

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No. of bitstreams: 1 gonçalves_lf_dr_guara.pdf: 5953100 bytes, checksum: 5575be8c51df4743f9dc5776305df382 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-07-11 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Os elementos de memórias de múltiplos estados nos quais a informação pode ser armazenada tanto nos estados de polarização quanto no estado de magnetização espontânea do elemento, podem ser obtidos, através da fabricação de filmes finos texturizados de BiFeO3 (BFO) dopados com Cálcio, sobre eletrodo de (Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si), visando otimizar as propriedades ferroeletromagnêticas. O método Pechini ou percursores poliméricos, depositados por “Spin-Coating”, é relativamente de fácil controle e baixo custo para a deposição de filmes finos texturizados. O cristal do BiFeO3 possui uma estrutura perovskita distorcida em um sistema romboédrica , mas em formato de filme fino encontramos uma fase pseudo tetragonal favorável as propriedades de memorias de múltiplos estados, como a diminuição da degradação, aumento da polarização espontânea e remanescente, diminuição na corrente de fuga, diminuição do tempo de resposta ao impulso, crescimento epitaxial, controle de vacâncias de oxigênio e diminuição de fases secundarias. Tudo isso é atingido, através de variações das resinas, controlando a volatização excessiva do Bismuto e de parâmetros no crescimento do filme, como, o tempo e temperatura de cristalização, da quantidade de dopante Ca, na variação de diferentes eletrodos óxidos de base para produção do filme fino. Apesar das excelentes propriedades dos filmes finos de BiFeO3 (BFO), dois sérios problemas são comumente encontrados para imediata aplicação deste material em memórias multiferróicas: alta densidade de corrente, resultado da flutuação de valência dos íons Fe (Fe3+ para Fe2+) com consequente criação de vacâncias de oxigênios, da existência de fases secundárias e elevado campo coercitivo causado pelo grande número de contornos de grãos, que restringe a reversão da polarização. Uma transição condutor-isolante foi observada pela dopagem do BFO com Ca devido ao completo preenchimento dos níveis de fermi levando a uma transição ferroelétrico-antiferromagnético. Além disso, o uso do cálcio como dopante (x = 0,30) melhora as propriedades ferroelétricas dos filmes de BFO pois: reduz a resistência a fadiga, a retenção de dados e o campo coercitivo do filme suprimindo a volatilização de óxido de bismuto e a presença de vacâncias de oxigênio. A cristalização de filmes em eletrodos condutores de LSCO, no forno de microondas conduziu a uma excelente resposta piezoelétrica, quando comparada aos eletrodos de LaNiO3 devido à restrição das cargas espaciais para interface filme-substrato. / The multi-state memory elements in which the information can be stored in both the polarization states and the spontaneous magnetization state of the element can be obtained by the production of calcium-doped thin films of BiFeO3 (BFO) on electrode (Pt / TiO2 / SiO2 / Si), in order to optimize ferroelectromagnetic properties. The Pechini method or polymer precursors, deposited by Spin-Coating, is relatively easy to control and low cost for the deposition of textured thin films. The crystal of the BiFeO3 has a perovskite structure distorted in a rhombohedral system, but in thin film format we find a pseudo tetragonal phase favorable to the properties of memories of multiple states, such as the decrease of the degradation, increase of the spontaneous and remaining polarization, decrease in the current reduction of impulse response time, epitaxial growth, control of oxygen vacancies and decrease of secondary phases. All of this is achieved through variations of the resins, controlling the excessive volatilization of Bismuth and parameters in the growth of the film, such as the time and temperature of crystallization, the amount of dopant Ca, in the variation of different base oxides electrodes for production of the thin film. Despite the excellent properties of the BiFeO3 (BFO) thin films, two serious problems are commonly encountered for the immediate application of this material in multiferroic memories: high current density, resulting in Fe (Fe3 + to Fe2 +) valence fluctuation with consequent oxygen vacancies, the existence of secondary phases and a high coercive field caused by the large number of grain contours, which restricts the reversal of polarization. A conductor-insulate transition was observed by the BFO doping with Ca due to the complete filling of the fermi levels leading to a ferroelectric-antiferromagnetic transition. In addition, the use of calcium as a dopant (x = 0.30) improves the ferroelectric properties of BFO films because: it reduces fatigue endurance, data retention and the coercive field of the film by suppressing bismuth oxide volatilization and the presence of oxygen vacancies. In contrast, leads to a low piezoelectric signal, by reducing the remaining polarization along the a-axis, in which the piezoelectric properties are quite pronounced. The crystallization of films on LSCO conductive electrodes in the microwave oven led to an excellent piezoelectric response image when compared to the LaNiO3 electrodes due the inhibition of space charges migration to the film-substrate interface

The thesis presented here is focused on the synthesis of iron-bismuth alkoxides and siloxides as precursors for multiferroic BiFeO₃ systems. Spectrum of novel cyclopentadienyl substituted iron-bismuth complexes of the general type [{Cp^y(CO)₂Fe}BiX₂], as potential precursors for cyclopentadienyl iron-bismuth alkoxides or siloxides [{Cp^y(CO)₂Fe}Bi(OR)₂] (R-O^tBu, OSiMe₂^tBu), were obtained and characterised. The use of wide range of cyclopentadienyl rings in the iron carbonyl compounds allowed for a comprehensive analysis of its influence on structure, reactivity as well as solubility of the studied complexes, which are crucial features of potential precursors. The results fill the gap in the chemistry of cyclopentadienyl iron-bismuth complexes. In this work a new method of preparation of novel alkoxides or siloxides iron-bismuth complexes has been developed. In the reaction of Fe₂(CO)₉ with Bi(O^tBu)₃ or Bi(OSiMe₂^tBu)₃ molecular precursors for preparation of heterobimetallic oxides were obtained. Moreover, characterised compounds allowed to extend the knowledge about existence of iron-bismuth clusters and open new ways for the further investigations on the carbonyl iron-bismuth siloxides and alkoxides. The resulting compounds are good single source precursors for the BiFeO₃ materials. The presented synthetic route can be generalized and other heterobimetallic compounds can be obtained. This work should also be helpful in the designing new precursors for synthesis of metal oxides.

Les phénomènes d'écrantages à l'interface entre un matériau ferroélectrique (FE) et une électrode sont d'une grande importance pour la compréhension fondamentale de la ferroélectricité et pour de potentielles applications comme les mémoires FE. Dans cette thèse, l'utilisation de la photoémission des électrons a permis d'étudier plusieurs types d'écrantage sur des pérovskites FE. En premier lieu, la microscopie de photoémission (PEEM) a révélé la transition d'une phase FE monodomaine à une phase en domaines striées dans des couches ultraminces de BiFeO3. Le PEEM a aussi permis d'étudier quantitativement l'écrantage des surfaces de BaTiO3 par les lacunes d'oxygène. Enfin, la spectroscopie de photoémission (XPS) a permis d'étudier l'influence de la polarisation FE sur les propriétés électroniques d'une interface électrode/BaTiO3 grâce à un dispositif original qui permet de polariser la couche FE in-situ pendant l'acquisition des spectres XPS.

Bismuth ferrite (BFO) is a multiferroic material with cross-correlation between magnetic and electric orders. With no applied external fields the spin structure of BFO is anitferromagnetic and cycloidal. This ordering prevents the detection of the weak ferromagnetism known to exist in the material. The application of magnetic and electric fields of suitable strength and direction is capable of compelling the Fe3+ spins to align in a homogeneous, antiferromagnetic fashion. This report details how numerical methods were used to simulate the spin alignment of a BFO system under different fields. The results were compiled into electric field-magnetic field phase diagrams of BFO to show the divide between cycloidal and homogeneous systems. / Graduate / 0607 / 0611 / marca@uvic.ca

For over half a century, the technological promise of spins manipulable by a small voltage has captivated the interest of experimental and theoretical researchers alike. However, if thin-film multiferroics are to be incorporated into future data storage devices, a much greater understanding of their behaviour and how they differ from their bulk counterparts is required. In this thesis, we probe the fundamental multiferroic properties of BiFeO₃ films through a combination of state-of-the-art diffraction and microscopy techniques. We investigate the coupling between magnetic, ferroelectric, and structural order, with a focus on domains, and how the domain structure may be manipulated in order to tailor the multiferroic properties of the material. Using non-resonant magnetic x-ray scattering (NXMS) and neutron diffraction, we study the magnetic and structural properties of (111)_pc-oriented BiFeO₃ films. Contrary to the general belief that to they grow as a rhombohedral monodomain, we find that they comprise a sub-micron texture of monoclinic domains. The magnetic structure is found to be intimately coupled to the structure, resulting in the propagation vector being locked to the monoclinic b-axis. This magnetoelastic coupling opens up a route to strain-engineer the magnetic domains via epitaxial strain. By growing BiFeO₃ films on a lower-symmetry, TbScO₃ substrate, we are able to engineer a magnetic, structural and ferroelectric monodomain, coherent over the entire film, constituting an increase in the domain size by over five orders of magnitude. We directly demonstrate the coupling between ferroelectric and magnetic order parameters of the cycloidal magnetic structure. Using NXMS polarimetry to measure directly the magnetic polarity, we show that upon switching the ferroelectric polarisation, the magnetic polarity switches accordingly---a major rearrangement of the magnetic structure, with each spin rotating by 90 degrees on average. This goes counter to idea that magnetic and ferroelectric order parameters are only weakly coupled in type-I multiferroics. Finally, using photoemission electron microscopy we are able to directly image the sub-micron magnetostructural domain structure. We further show that there is a strong interfacial coupling between the magnetostructural domains of BiFeO₃ with a ferromagnetic overlayer. The BiFeO₃ domains are found to impose a uniaxial anisotropy in the overlayer, opening up a route to control ferromagnetic domains.

This thesis presents experimental and related theoretical studies of pyrochlore titanate oxides, boron nitride nanotubes, and multiferroic bismuth ferrite. We have investigated these systems at high pressures and at low temperatures using Raman spectroscopy. Below, we furnish a synoptic presentation of our work on these three systems. In Chapter 1, we introduce the systems studied in this thesis, viz. pyrochlores, boron nitride nanotubes, and multiferroic BiFeO3, with a review of the literature pertaining to their structural, electronic, vibrational, and mechanical properties. We also bring out our interests in these systems. Chapter 2 includes a brief description of the theory of Raman scattering and infrared absorption. This is followed by a short account of the experimental setups used for Raman and infrared measurements. We also present the technical details of high pressure technique including the alignment of diamond anvil cells, gasket preparation, calibration of the pressure, etc. Chapter 3 furnishes the results of our pressure-and temperature-dependent studies of pyrochlore oxides which has been divided into eight different parts. In recent years, magnetic and thermodynamic properties of pyrochlores have received a lot of attention. However, not much work has been reported to address the quasiparticle excitations, e.g., phonons and crystal-field excitations in these materials. A material that shows exotic magnetic behavior and high degree of degenerate ground states can be expected to have low-lying excitations with possible couplings with phonons, thereby, finger-printing various novel properties of the system. Raman and infrared absorption spectroscopies can, therefore, be used to comprehend the novel role of phonons and their role in various phenomena of frustrated magnetic pyrochlores. Recently, there have been reports on various novel properties of these systems; for example, Raman and absorption studies [Phys. Rev. B 77, 214310 (2008)] have revealed a loss of inversion symmetry in Tb2Ti2O7 at low temperatures which has been suggested as the key reason for this frustrated magnet to remain in spin-liquid state down to 70 mK. Powder neutron-diffraction experiments [Nature 420, 54 (2002)] have shown that an application of isostatic pressure of about 8.6 GPa in spin-liquid Tb2Ti2O7 induces a long-range magnetic order of the Tb3+ spins coexisting with the spin-liquid phase ascribing this transition to the breakdown of the delicate balance among the various fundamental interactions. Moreover, Raman and x-ray studies have shown that Tb2Ti2O7,Sm2Ti2O7,and Gd2Ti2O7 undergo a structural transition followed by an irreversible amorphization at very high pressures (~ 40 GPa or above) [Appl. Phys. Lett. 88, 031903 (2006)]. In this chapter, therefore, we present our temperature-and pressure-dependent Raman studies of A2Ti2O7 pyrochlores, where ‘A’ is a trivalent rare-earth element (A = Sm, Gd,Tb, Dy,Ho, Er,Yb, and Lu; and also Y). Since all the group theoretically predicted Raman modes of this cubic lattice are due to oxygen vibrations only, in Part (A), we revisit the phonon assignments of pyrochlore titanates by performing Raman measurements on the O16 /O18 − isotope based Dy2Ti2O7 and Lu2Ti2O7 and find that the vibrations with frequencies below 250 cm−1 do not involve oxygen atoms. Our results lead to a reassignment of the pyrochlore Raman phonons thus proposing that the mode with frequency ~ 200 cm−1, which has earlier been known as an F2g phonon due to oxygen vibration, is a vibration of Ti4+ ions. Moreover, we have performed lattice dynamical calculations using Shell model that help us to assign the Raman phonons. In Part (B), we have explored the temperature dependence of the Raman phonons of spin-ice Dy2Ti2O7 and compared with the results of two non-magnetic pyrochlores, Lu2Ti2O7 and Y2Ti2O7. Our results reveal anomalous red-shift of some of the phonons in both magnetic and non-magnetic pyrochlores as the temperature is lowered. The phonon anomalies can not be understood in terms of spin-phonon and crystal field transition-phonon couplings, thus attributing them to phonon-phonon anharmonic interactions. We also find that the anomaly of the disorder activated Ti4+ Raman vibration (~ 200 cm−1) is unusually high compared to other phonons due to the large vibrational amplitudes of Ti4+-ions rendered by the vacant Wyckoff sites in their neighborhood. Later, we have quantified the anharmonicity in Dy2Ti2O7. We have extended our studies on spin-ice compound Dy2Ti2O7 by performing simultaneous pressure-and temperature-dependent Raman measurements, presented in Part (C). We show that a new Raman mode appears at low temperatures below TC ~ 110 K, suggesting a structural transition, also supported by our x-ray measurements. There are reports [Phys. Rev. B 77, 214310 (2008), Phys.Rev.B 79, 214437 (2009)] in the literature where the new mode in Dy2Ti2O7 at low temperatures has been assigned to a crystal field transition. Here, we put forward evidences that suggest that the “new” mode is a phonon and not a crystal field transition. Moreover, the TC is found to depend on pressure with a positive coefficient. In Part (D), we have presented our results of temperature-and pressure-dependent Raman and x-ray measurements of spin-frustrated pyrochlores Gd2Ti2O7, Tb2Ti2O7,and Yb2Ti2O7. Here, we have estimated the quasiharmonic and anharmonic contributions to the anomalous change in phonon frequencies with temperature. Moreover, we find that Gd2Ti2O7 and Tb2Ti2O7 undergo a subtle structural transition at a pressure of ~ 9 GPa which is absent in Yb2Ti2O7. The implication of this structural transition in the context of a long-range magnetically ordered state coexisting with the spin-liquid phase in Tb2Ti2O7 at high pressure (8.6 GPa) and low temperature (1.5 K), observed by Mirebeau et al. [Nature 420, 54 (2002)], has been discussed. As we have established in the previous parts that the anomalous behavior of pyrochlore phonons is due to phonon-phonon anharmonic interactions, we have tuned the anharmonicity in the first pyrochlore of the A2Ti2O7 series, i.e., Sm2Ti2O7,by replacing Ti4+-ions with bigger Zr4+-ions, presented in Part (E). Our results suggest that the phonon anomalies have a very strong dependence on the ionic size and mass of the transition element (i.e., the B4+-ion in A2B2O7 pyrochlores). We have also observed signatures of coupling between a phonon and crystal-field transitions in Sm2Ti2O7. In Part (F), we have studied spin-ice compound Ho2Ti2O7 and compared the phonon anomalies with the stuffed spin-ice compounds, Ho2+xTi2−xO7−x/2 by stuffing Ho3+ ions into the sites of Ti4+ with appropriate oxygen stoichiometry. We find that as more and more Ho3+-ions are stuffed, there is an increase in the structural disorder of the pyrochlore lattice and the phonon anomalies gradually disappear with increasing Ho3+-ions. Moreover, a coupling between phonon and crystal field transition has also been observed. In Part (G), we have examined the temperature dependence of phonons of “dynamical spin-ice” compound Pr2Sn2O7 and compared with its non-pyrochlore (monoclinic) counterpart Pr2Ti2O7. Our results conclude that the anomalous behavior of phonons is an intrinsic property of pyrochlore structure having inherent vacant sites. We also find a coupling between phonon and crystal-field transitions in Pr2Sn2O7. In the last part of this chapter, Part (H), we present our Raman studies of Er2Ti2O7. Here, we show that in addition to the anomalous phonons, there are modes that originate from photoluminescence transitions and some of these luminescence lines show anomalous temperature dependence which have been understood using the theory of optical dephasing in crystals, developed by Hsu and Skinner [J. Chem. Phys. 81, 1604 (1984)]. Temperature dependence of a few Raman modes and photoluminescence bands suggest a phase transition at 130 K. In Chapter 4, we furnish our pressure-dependent Raman studies of boron nitride multi-walled nanotubes (BNNT) and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and compare the results with those of their carbon counterparts. Using Raman spectroscopy, we show that BNNT undergo an irreversible transition at ~ 12 GPa while the carbon counterpart, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, show a similar transition at a much higher pressure of ~ 51 GPa. In sharp contrast, the layered form of both the systems (i.e. h-BN and graphite) undergo a hexagonal to wurtzite phase at nearly similar pressure (~ 13 GPa of h-BN and ~ 15 GPa for graphite). A molecular dynamical simulation on boron nitride single-walled nanotubes has also been undertaken that suggests that the polar nature of the B−N bonds may be responsible for the irreversibility of the pressure-induced transformations. It is interesting to see that in hexagonal phase both the systems have almost similar mechanical property, but once they are rolled up to make nanotubes, the property becomes quite different. Chapter 5 presents the temperature dependence of the Raman modes of multiferroic thin films of BiFeO3 and Bi0.7Tb0.2La0.1O3. Though there have been several Raman investigations of BiFeO3 in literature, here we emphasize the observation of unusually intense second order Raman phonons. Our results have motivated Waghmare et al. to suggest a theoretical model to explain the anomalously large second order Raman tensor of BiFeO3 in terms of an incipient metal-insulator transition. In Chapter 6, we summarize our findings on the three different systems, namely, pyrochlores, boron nitride nanotubes, and BiFeO3 and highlight a few possible experiments that may be undertaken in future to have a better understanding of these systems.