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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
11

Análise dos processos de condução em transientes de fotocorrente de elétrons em monocristais de enxofre ortorrombico (s) / Analysis of the conduction processes in electronic photocurrent transients in suphfur orthorhombic monocrystals

Sérgio Mergulhão 18 December 1987 (has links)
Medidas de tempo de vôo, em cinco diferentes temperaturas, foram realizadas em enxofre ortorrômbico para vários campos elétricos, tanto positivos como negativos. O trânsito dos portadores negativos foi mais extensivamente analisado e para baixas intensidades de luz, isto é, o caso do sinal fraco, os seguintes fatos foram verificados; a) não foi detectada dependência da mobilidade com o campo elétrico; b) a razão da corrente no tempo t para a corrente inicial mostrou não ser uma função universal do tempo, (isto é, independente do campo aplicado). Transporte dispersivo, discernível através da dependência da mobilidade com o campo elétrico, foi detectado pelo fato a. Contudo, para o transporte não dispersivo nós devemos esperar que a corrente normalizada leve a uma função universal do tempo, somente dependente do tempo de captura e, eventualmente, do tempo de soltura dos portadores, contrário ao que foi encontrado em b. A parte principal desta tese foi dedicada a testar nossos resultados com modelos existentes e o efeito esperado da falha das suposições nos resultados. Nós fomos então levados a um novo modelo, o qual explicou razoavelmente os resultados; a luz joga portadores, não só no canal normal de condução, mas também em um nível extra, confinado à região superficial, caracterizado por uma mobilidade dependente da profundidade. Soluções numéricas foram obtidas para confirmar a validade das soluções analíticas aproximadas obtidas. Um modelo aproximado foi desenvolvido para explicar o efeito do campo elétrico na extração de portadores da zona iluminada / Time off light measurements, in five different temperatures, were carried out in orthorhombic sulphur for various electric fields, both positive and negative. The transit of negative carriers were more thoroughly analyzed and at low light intensities, that is, the small signal case, the following facts were well established; a) no electric field dependence of the mobility was detected, b) the ratio of the current at a time t to the initial current was found not to be a universal function of the time (that is, independent of the applied field). Dispersive transport, discernible through its field dependent electron mobility, is ruled out by a. However, for non dispersive transport, we should expect the normalized current to lead to a universal function of time, only dependent of the trapping and, eventually, de-trapping times of the carriers, contrary to what was found in b. The main part of this thesis was devoted to test our results with the existing models and the expected effect of the breakdown of the simplified assumptions on the results. We were thus lead to a new model, which reasonable explained the results: light put carriers, not only in the normal conduction channel, but also in an extra level, confined to the surface region, characterized by a depth dependent mobility. Computer solution were carried out to confirm the validity of approximate analytic solutions thus obtained. An approximate model was also developed to explain the effect of the electronic field on the extraction of carriers from the illuminated zone
12

Compatibilités et incompatibilités liants cimentaires/superplastifiants / Cementitous Binders/Superplasticizers Compatibilities and Incompatibilities

Nicolas, Edwige 21 June 2010 (has links)
La résistance mécanique des bétons exigée actuellement impose une diminution du rapport eau/ciment et l’utilisation de superplastifiant pour faciliter la mise en œuvre du matériau frais. Les produits de type polycarboxylate sont très efficaces à court terme, mais peuvent mener à une perte rapide de l’ouvrabilité en cas d’incompatibilité liant/superplastifiant. L’objet de ce travail est l’identification des phases cimentaires impliquées dans ces variations rhéologiques. Dans un premier temps, l’écoulement de pâtes superplastifiées est évalué par un rhéomètre muni d’un système de mesure à boule. Les combinaisons compatibles s’écoulent selon le modèle de Bingham. Une incompatibilité entraîne soit une augmentation du seuil d'écoulement et de la viscosité plastique, soit une évolution des propriétés rhéologiques en un fluide d’Herschel-Bulkley. Dans un deuxième temps, des combinaisons ciment/superplastifiant sont caractérisées par des essais rhéologiques. L’évaluation du raidissement de pâtes et la caractérisation chimique des ciments hydratés montrent que la consistance est liée à la quantité et à la microstructure de l’ettringite formée. Ces paramètres dépendent de la phase aluminate et des sulfates de calcium initialement présents. Enfin, l’étude de systèmes cimentaires de synthèse établit que la solubilité des sulfates de calcium en présence de superplastifiant est augmentée du fait, vraisemblablement, de la complexation des ions Ca2+ par les polycarboxylates. La variété orthorhombique de la phase aluminate plus réactive que la variété cubique, mène, quant à elle, à la formation d’une quantité importante d’ettringite en forme d’aiguilles / Currently required concrete strength imposes a lower water/cement ratio and use of superplasticizer to make easier the fresh material implementation. Polycarboxylate type products are very effective in the short term but can lead to a fast loss of workability in case of binder/superplasticizer incompatibility. The object of this work is the identification of cementitous phases involved in these rheological variations. Initially, flow of various superplasticized pastes is evaluated by a rheometer fitted with a ball measuring system. Compatible combinations flow like a Bingham’s fluid. An incompatibility results in an increase of yield stress and plastic viscosity or rheological properties evolution into Herschel-Bulkley’s fluid. Then, cement/superplasticizer combinations are characterized by rheological tests. Stiffening assessment of pastes and chemical characterisation of hydrated cements show that consistency is associated with amount and microstructure of formed ettringite. These parameters depend on initially present aluminate phase and calcium sulphates. Finally, study of synthetic cementitous systems states that calcium sulphates solubility, in presence of superplasticizer, is increased probably because Ca2+ ions complexation by polycarboxylates. As for the orthorhombic variety of aluminate phase, more reactive than cubic variety, it leads to a large amount of needle-shaped ettringite
13

Phase Transitions and Associated Magnetic and Transport Properties in Selected NI-MN-GA based Heusler Alloys

Agbo, Sunday A. 27 July 2020 (has links)
No description available.
14

Origin of Ferroelectric Phase in Undoped HfO₂ Films Deposited by Sputtering

Mittmann, Terence, Materano, Monica, Lomenzo, Patrick D., Park, Min Hyuk, Stolichnov, Igor, Cavalieri, Matteo, Zhou, Chuanzhen, Chung, Ching-Chang, Jones, Jacob L., Szyjka, Thomas, Müller, Martina, Kersch, Alfred, Mikolajick, Thomas, Schroeder, Uwe 30 August 2022 (has links)
Thin film metal–insulator–metal capacitors with undoped HfO₂ as the insulator are fabricated by sputtering from ceramic targets and subsequently annealed. The influence of film thickness and annealing temperature is characterized by electrical and structural methods. After annealing, the films show distinct ferroelectric properties. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction measurements reveal a dominant ferroelectric orthorhombic phase for thicknesses in the 10–50 nm range and a negligible non-ferroelectric monoclinic phase fraction. Sputtering HfO₂ with additional oxygen during the deposition decreases the remanent polarization. Overall, the impact of oxygen vacancies and interstitials in the HfO₂ film during deposition and annealing is correlated to the phase formation process.
15

Origin of Ferroelectric Phase in Undoped HfO₂ Films Deposited by Sputtering

Mittmann, Terence, Materano, Monica, Lomenzo, Patrick D., Park, Min Hyuk, Stolichnov, Igor, Cavalieri, Matteo, Zhou, Chuanzhen, Chung, Ching-Chang, Jones, Jacob L., Szyjka, Thomas, Müller, Martina, Kersch, Alfred, Mikolajick, Thomas, Schroeder, Uwe 30 August 2022 (has links)
This article corrects the following: 'Origin of Ferroelectric Phase in Undoped HfO2 Films Deposited by Sputtering' Advanced Materials Interfaces 6(11) 2019, first Published online: April 29, 2019
16

Study of the magnetotransport behavior and electrical properties in the colossal magnetoresistance materials La0.7-xLnxPb0.3Mn1-yMeyO3 (Ln=Pr, Nd and Y, Me=Fe and Co)

Young, San-Lin 08 July 2002 (has links)
The hole-doped perovskite manganese oxide such as Ln1-xAxMnO3 (Ln = La, Nd, Pr, and A = Ca, Sr, Ba, Pb) is one of the most studied topics in the recent years due to the observation of colossal magnetoresistance (CMR). Basically, LaMnO3 has an almost insulating behavior and on antiferromagnetic arrangement. By substituting a divalent cation (A2+) in place of La3+, LaMnO3 can be driven into metallic and ferromagnetic state. Mixed valence of Mn 3+ / Mn4+ is needed for both metallic behavior and ferromagnetism in these materials. The CMR characteristic occurs in the ferromagnetic state. A systematic investigation of the structural, magnetic and electrical properties in the perovskite colossal magnetoresistance materials La0.7-xLnxPb0.3Mn1-yMeyO3 (Ln=Pr, Nd and Y, Me=Fe and Co) has presented in this thesis. By subatituting Nd, Pr, Y for the La and Co, Fe for the Mn, the substitution effects on the crystallographic deformation, magnetotransport behavior and electrical properties in these compounds have been studied. According to the results of this research, crystallographic distortion is induced by the substitution of smaller ions, Pr or Nd, onto the La-site. Powder $x$-ray diffraction patterns show a crystallographic transition from rhombohedral symmetry (R-3c) to orthorhombic (Pbnm) crystal structure as the doping content is increased. The increase of deformation from R-3c to Pbnm decreases the bond angle of Mn3+¡ÐO2-¡ÐMn4+ , increases the cant of Mn spin, weakens the double-exchange interaction and results in decrease of ferromagnetism, low ferromagnetic transition temperature Tc, eg electron bandwidth and conductivity. However, the great quantity of decrease in resistivity by an external field leads to the increase in the magnetoresistance ratio. We also find that the increase of saturation magnetization results from the contribution of magnetic ion of Pr or Nd. In addition. in contrast to substitution La by magnetic ion of Pr and Nd, the saturation magnetization is decreased as Y content is increased. The zero-field-cool (ZFC) and field-cool (FC) magnetic measurements indicate that the range of spin ordering for Y one is shorter than Pr one or Nd one with the same doping content. It is because of the small ionic radius of Y, which results in larger distortion, increases the bond angle of Mn3+¡ÐO2-¡ÐMn4+, and corresponds low ferromagnetic transition temperature. The distortion induced by Mn-site substitution is not obvious due to the similar radius of Mn, Co and Fe. Powder x-ray diffraction patterns show a single phase of rhombohedral symmetry (R-3c) for Co doped ststem and a slight crystallographic transition from rhombohedral (R-3c) to orthorhombic (Pbnm) symmetry for Fe doped system. Values of temperature dependence of magnetization indicate that the ferromagnetic double-exchange interaction is gradually substituted by the superexchange interaction. The ZFC-FC curves also indicate that long-range spin ordering is progressively substituted by the short-range spin ordering. The substitution of Mn by Co and Fe supresses the double-exchange interaction, decreases the ferromagnetism and the ferromagnetic transition temperature. Due to the synthesis of the substitution of Nd, Pr, Y for La and Co, Fe for Mn, the mechanism of substitution effects are proved different. The substitution of Nd, Pr and Y for La distorts the crystal, decreases the Mn3+¡ÐO2-¡ÐMn4+ bond angle, and results in the transition of properties, while the substitution of Co and Fe for Mn decrease the percentage of ferromagnetic Mn3+¡ÐO2-¡ÐMn4+. The purpose of this thesis is to clear up the role functions of all elements in these compounds and properties of these compounds. Based on the knowledge of these compounds, it would be helpful to control the physical mechanism and improve the characteristics on preparing their thin film devices.
17

Estudos das Propriedades de Termoluminescência (TL), Ressonância Paramagnética (EPR) e Absorção Ótica (AO) para caracterização do mineral Monticelita / Study of the Properties Thermoluminescence (TL), Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) and Optical Absorption for characterization of mineral Montecillite

QUINA, ANTONIO de J.A. de 22 December 2016 (has links)
Submitted by Marco Antonio Oliveira da Silva (maosilva@ipen.br) on 2016-12-22T12:40:27Z No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-22T12:40:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Foram estudados as propriedades de absorção ótica, de termoluminescência e de ressonância paramagnética eletrônica do mineral natural de silicato de nome MONTICELITA do grupo Olivina, para caracterização desse mineral, cuja formula química é CaMgSiO4. A absorção ótica mostrou que há três bandas de absorção em 450 nm, 660 nm e 1050 nm. As duas primeiras bandas, a primeira no azul e a segunda no amarelo-vermelho são responsáveis pela cor verde da Monticelita. Essas duas bandas são consequência do elemento cromo contido no mineral absorver fótons do feixe universal no visível de frequências centradas em 450 nm e 660 nm. A banda em 1050 nm é devido ao Fe2+. As curvas de emissão de uma amostra de Monticelita irradiada com raios gama de doses entre 10 e 1000 Gy apresenta três picos em 150 °C , 270 °C e 370 °C . Pelo método da deconvolução e de várias taxas de aquecimento foram obtidos energia E1=1,35 eV e fator de frequência s1=4,98x1011 s-1 para o pico 270 °C e E2=1,70 eV e s2=1,88x1011 s-1 para pico 370 °C . A irradiação com raios gama de doses entre 5 kGy e 50 kGy produziram pico TL de 380 °C com intensidade TL em função da dose linear e crescente. Este resultado e importante para dosimetria da radiação de altas doses. O espectro EPR de uma amostra natural, mostrou um resultado não esperado e interessante. Além dos sinais típicos de interação hiperfina do Mn2+, um sinal avantajado de g =6,34 indica que o ferro formou moléculas de hematita, Fe2O3. Esse sinal desaparece com aquecimento acima de 800 °C de recozimento, dando origem dipolos magnéticos de Fe3+, que dá origem a um sinal típico em g =2. Esta descrição mostra bem a caracterização do mineral Monticelita. / Dissertação (Mestrado em Tecnologia Nuclear) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP
18

Towards The Design Of Fuctional Materials : Evaluation Based On Crystal Structure, Photocatalysis And Conductivity Measurements

Saha, Dipankar 02 1900 (has links) (PDF)
The thesis entitled “Towards the Design of Functional Materials: Evaluation based on Crystal Structure, Photocatalysis and Conductivity Measurements” consist of six chapters. A short introductory note outlines the basis of designing functional materials, different synthetic procedures, characterization techniques and properties such as photocatalysis and ionic conductivity. Chapter 1 describes the effect of Ti doping on photocatalytic activity in orthorhombic perovskite type LnVO3. All the compounds were synthesized by solid state method. Rietveld refinement with high resolution PXRD reveals that the substituent Ti occupies V site rather than Ln Site. Ti substituted compound showed higher photocatalytic activity than the unsubstituted compound and is comparable with that of commercial catalyst. These classes of compounds showed specific degradation towards chlorinated compounds. Chapter 2 discusses the solution combustion synthesis of γ(L)-Bi2MoO6 and its photocatalytic activity under solar radiation. The particle sizes were in the range 300–500 nm with a band gap of 2.51 eV. The degradation of wide variety of cationic and anionic dyes was investigated under solar radiation. Despite the low surface area (<1 m2/g), γ(L)-Bi2MoO6 showed higher photocatalytic activity under solar radiation due to its electronic and morphological properties. Chapter 3 presents a series of visible light photocatalyst M2Ce2O7, synthesized via solution combustion method and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, solid-state UV-Visible diffuse reflectance spectra, SEM and TEM. The structure of Bi2Ce2O7 has been determined using laboratory as well as synchrotron PXRD. It crystallizes in a disordered F-type structure. The particle sizes are in the range 5–6 nm, band gaps lie within the range 1.7 to 3.2 eV. Bi2Ce2O7 shows high photocatalytic activity, comparable to the commercial Degussa P-25 TiO2 under solar radiation. Chapter 4 examines the effect of Bismuth substitution on crystal chemistry, photocatalysis and conductivity in Sr3V2O8, a variant of palmierite class. These compounds were synthesized by ceramic method and powder X-ray data reveals the limit of the Bi substitution in Sr3-xBi2x/3V2O8 is x=0.4. Single crystal study followed by careful difference Fourier analysis shows that Bi occupies a unique 18h position which is different than Sr1 and Sr2 position. The experimental band gap for Sr3V2O8 was calculated to be 3.45 eV and upon substitution band gap of the material decreases and reaches a value 3.15 eV for the composition x=0.4. Compound exhibits photocatalytic activity specifically towards anionic dyes. However, Bi Substitution leads to lower photocatalytic activity. Chapter 5 describes synthesis, structure, phase transition and ionic conductivity in scheelite type Li0.5Ce0.5MoO4. The compound was synthesized by ceramic method and single crystal study reveals that it crystallizes in the space group I41/a and exhibits conductivity of ~10-3 Ohm-1cm-1 at elevated temperature( 700 °C). It undergoes a first order phase transition around 510 °C. The nature of this transition has been evaluated by laboratory and synchrotron PXRD, DSC, dielectric spectroscopy and variable temperature Raman spectroscopy. The phase transition is shown to be characterized by an iso-structural phase transition which is first example in literature for temperature induced Cowley’s “Type Zero” phase transition. Chapter 6 discusses a new methodology for generating functional materials for fast ion conductors. Several varients of hydrated sodium cadmium bisulfate, Na2Cd2(SO4)3⋅3H2O, Na2Cd(SO4)2⋅2H2O and Na2Cd(SO4)2⋅4H2O have been synthesized and their thermal properties followed by phase transitions have been invesigated. Na2Cd2(SO4)3⋅3H2O (space group P3c). Na2Cd2(SO4)3⋅3H2O loses water completely when heated to 250 °C and transforms to a dehydrated phase (I⎯43d ) whose structure has been established using abinitio powder diffration techniques. Na2Cd(SO4)2⋅2H2O (P21/c) transforms to α−Na2Cd(SO4)2 (space group C2/c) on heating to 150 °C which is a known high ionic conductor. However, when α−Na2Cd(SO4)2 is heated to 570 °C followed by sudden quenching in liquid nitrogen, β−Na2Cd(SO4)2 (P21/c) is formed. β−Na2Cd(SO4)2 takes up water from the atmosphere and gets converted completely to the Kröhnkite type mineral. Further, β−Na2Cd(SO4)2 has a conductivity behavior comparable to α form up to 280 °C, the temperature required for the transformation of β to α form.
19

Studies of Halide Perovskites CsPbX<sub>3</sub>, RbPbX<sub>3</sub> (X=Cl<sup>-</sup>, Br<sup>-</sup>, I<sup>-</sup>), and Their Solid Solutions

Linaburg, Matthew Ronald January 2015 (has links)
No description available.
20

Structural, Ferroelectric, Piezoelectric and Phase Transition Studies of Lead Free (Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3 Based Ceramics

Garg, Rohini January 2013 (has links) (PDF)
Ferroelectric materials, especially the polycrystalline ceramics, are very promising material for a variety of applications such as high permittivity dielectrics, ferroelectric memories, piezoelectric sensors, piezoelectric/electrostrictive transducers, electrooptic devices and PTC thermistors. Among the ferroelectric based piezoelectric ceramics the lead–zirconate-titanate Pb(Zr1-xTix)O3 (PZT) have dominated transducer and actuator market due to its excellent piezoelectric and dielectric properties, high electromechanical coupling, large piezoelectric anisotropy, ease of processing and low cost. However, the toxicity of lead based compounds has raised serious environmental concerns and therefore has compelled the researchers to look for new lead free alternatives with good piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties. (Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3 (NBT) and its solid solution is one of the leading lead free piezoceramic ceramics due to their interesting ferroelectric, piezoelectric, electromechanical and dielectric property. The parent compound NBT is a ferroelectric with a moderately high Curie temperature (~250 oC), large ferroelectric polarization (~40µC/cm2) polarization, promising piezoelectric properties with 0.08% strain and longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient (d33) ~ 80 pC/N. X-ray and neutron diffraction studies in the past have shown that NBT exhibits rhombohedral (R3c) at room temperature. Neutron diffraction studies have suggested that NBT undergo a gradual rhombohedral to tetragonal (P4bm) transformation in a temperature region 200-320 ºC. Though the structure and phase transition behavior of NBT has been extensively investigated for over six decades now, this subject has again become debatable in recent few years, with some group reporting formation of orthorhombic phase above room temperature and another group suggesting monoclinic distortion at room temperature using high resolution x-ray diffraction technique. Interestingly the intermediate orthorhombic instability, reported by electron diffraction studies, has never been captured by neutron diffraction method though neutron diffraction is an equally powerful tool for studying (oxygen) octahedral tilts in perovskites. Needless to mention, the understanding of the subtle structural distortions have great significance with regard to the determination of the structure-piezoelectric property correlations in NBT based piezoceramics. The present thesis deals with such subtle structural issues in great detail. The systems investigated in the thesis are Ca and Ba modified NBT. While the Ca modified system was chosen to understand the subtle orthorhombic instability that has been reported above room temperature (only) by detailed electron diffraction work, Ba-modified NBT is the most investigated among the NBT-derived piezoelectric material systems and this thesis attempts to address some of the very complex nature of the structure-piezoelectric property correlation of this system. The first chapter of the thesis provides a brief introduction to the field of ferroelectrics, perovskite structure and their phase transition. A brief exposure to the conventional lead based relaxor ferroelectric and piezoelectric material is provided. A detailed overview of the existing knowledge related to room temperature structure of NBT and its phase transition studies with temperature has been discussed in the later part of this chapter. The second chapter includes various the experimental techniques that have been employed to synthesis and characterize the specimens under investigation. The third chapter deals with the phase transition behaviour of Ca modified NBT as a function of composition and temperature in the dilute concentration region. This work was carried out with the view to obtain a better understanding and compliment the intrinsic high temperature orthorhombic instability in NBT reported by electron diffraction technique. Interestingly, inspite of the fact that neutron diffraction method is a very sensitive tool for investigating subtle change in the nature of octahedral tilt in oxide perovskites, the intermediate orthorhombic distortion proposed by the electron diffraction studies has so far never been captured in any of the neutron diffraction studies. In this work we have verified the genuineness of the intrinsic instability with regard to the non-polar orthorhombic structure using neutron powder diffraction by adopting a special strategy which helped in capturing the characteristic signatures (the superlattice reflections) of the orthorhombic phase in the neutron powder diffraction patterns. It was found that small fraction of Ca-substitution (8-10 mol %) was good enough to amplify the magnitude of the orthorhombic (Pbnm) distortion, without altering the sequence of the structural evolution with temperature of the parent compound (NBT) itself, and stabilizing it at the global length scale at lower temperatures than pure NBT. This chapter presents the innovative approach that was used to extract reliable information about the very complex phase transition behaviour, involving coexistence of the various similar looking but crystallographically different phases in different temperature regimes by Rietveld analysis of temperature dependent neutron powder diffraction pattern in conjunction with temperature dependent dielectric and ferroelectric characterization of the specimens. The detailed study revealed the following sequence of structural evolution with temperature: Cc+Pbnm →Pbnm + P4/mbm → P4/mbm →Pm3 m. The fourth chapter gives a detail account of the structure-property correlations and the phase transition behaviour of (1-x)(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3 – (x)BaTiO3 (0≤x≤0.10), the most important solid solution series with NBT as reported in the literature. The phase transformation behaviour of this system has been investigated as a function of composition (0<x≤0.10), temperature, electric field and mechanical-impact by Raman scattering, ferroelectric, piezoelectric measurements, x-ray and neutron powder diffraction methods. The structure of the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) compositions of this system, which is interesting from the piezoelectric property point of view, has been under controversy for long. While some groups report the structure to be pseudocubic, other groups suggest it to be combination of rhombohedral and tetragonal. A perusal of the literature suggests that the reported nature and composition range of MPB is dependent on the method of synthesis and characterization technique used. In the present study, crystal structure of the NBT-BT solid solution has been investigated at the close interval near the MPB (0.05≤x≤0.10). Though x-ray diffraction study revealed three distinct composition ranges characterizing different structural features in the equilibrium state at room temperature: (i) monoclinic (Cc) + rhombohedral (R3c) for 0≤x≤0.05, (ii) “cubic-like” for 0.06≤x≤0.0675 and (iii) MPB like for 0.07≤x<0.10, Raman and neutron powder diffraction studies revealed identical symmetry for the cubic like and the MPB compositions. Both the cubic like compositions and the MPB compositions exhibit comparatively large d33. In the later part of this chapter this apparent contradiction is resolved by the fact that the cubic like structure transforms irreversibly to MPB after electric poling, a procedure which involves applying high dc electric field (well above the coercive field) to the pellet before carrying out the piezoelectric measurements. The effect of electrical field and mechanical impact has been studied for all the three different composition range, and it was found that electric field and mechanical impact both led to irreversible phase transformation in the same direction, though the transformation with mechanical impact remains incomplete in comparison to electric field. The most pronounced effect was observed for the cubic like compositions 0.06≤x≤0.0675 – they undergo phase separation to rhombohedral and tetragonal phases by electrical and mechanical perturbations. In the non-perturbed state the cubic-like critical compositions mimics features of relaxor ferroelectrics and extremely short coherence length (~ 40-50 Å) of the out-of-phase octahedral tilts. In the poled state this coherence length grows considerably and the system behaves like a normal ferroelectric. This confirmed a strong coupling between the lattice, octahedral tilts and polarization degrees of freedom. Neutron diffraction study of compositions exhibiting cubic-like and the MPB like revealed that the traditional P4bm tetragonal structure model fails to account for the intensity of the superlattice reflections. Thus the tetragonal structure stabilized above room temperature in pure NBT is different from the tetragonal phase observed at room temperature in the NBT-BT system. The results of the effect of mechanical impact and electric field has also been reported in this chapter for the critical composition exhibiting MPB (x=0.07). A detailed structural analysis of the precritical compositions, x≤0.05, revealed coexistence of ferroelectric phases (Cc+R3c) in equilibrium state (annealed specimens). This transforms to single phase (R3c) state after poling. Thus though the precritical (x≤0.05) and critical compositions (0.06≤x<0.10) of NBT-BT exhibits coexistence of ferroelectric phases in the equilibrium state, the fact that the electric poling makes the specimen single phase, R3c, after poling for the precritical compositions and retains the two phase nature of the critical compositions makes the critical compositions exhibit considerably higher piezoelectric response than the precritical compositions. Chapter five is dedicated to phase transition behaviour of the post critical compositions of (1-x)(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3–(x)BaTiO3 (0.16≤x≤1) using temperature dependent XRD, dielectric and ferroelectric studies. Though structurally the entire composition range is tetragonal, several notable features were revealed during detailed examination of the structural and dielectric behaviour. This study is also important from the view point that pure BT is a major component of multilayer ceramic capacitors and that an increase in the Curie point would be a welcome step for better temperature stability of the device. NBT does this. The transition temperature increases from 120 ºC for pure BT to 275 ºC for x=0.30 along with simultaneous increase in c/a ratio from 1.009 (pure BT) to 1.02 (x=0.30). Detailed analysis of temperature and frequency dependent dielectric data revealed deviation from Curie-Weiss and suggests a gradual transformation to relaxor-ferroelectric state as the NBT concentration increases in BT. The measure of frequency dispersion ‘γ’ parameter was determined from modified Curie-Weiss law for various compositions in the system. The ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties have also been investigated in detail for this composition range and an attempt has been made to correlate the composition variation of these properties with their structural parameters. This chapter shows a systematic correlation between all physical quantities such as Curie point, piezoelectric coefficient, polarization and tetragonality as a function of composition.

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