The Jahn-Teller effect in Cr5+ -doped PbTiO3: a multi-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance study

J Phys Condens Matter. 2010 Feb 17;22(6):065902. doi: 10.1088/0953-8984/22/6/065902. Epub 2010 Jan 27.

Abstract

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of Cr5+ defects incorporated on Ti(4+) sites in powdered ceramics of PbTiO3 were investigated in the temperature range 50-400 K at 9 GHz (X), 34 GHz (Q) and 94 GHz (W band). The [Formula: see text] Jahn-Teller effect stabilizes the vibronic ground state of the 3d(1) electron of the Cr(5+) ion and leads to a tetragonally distorted defect- O6 octahedron with the point symmetry D(4h). The spontaneous electrical polarization present in the ferroelectric phase of PbTiO3 appears as a further perturbation producing an additional g-tensor contribution by the quadratic field effect. Its symmetry is dependent on the orientation of the electrical polarization with respect to the Jahn-Teller distortion axis, the tetragonal axis of the defect- O6 octahedron. If the polarization of a domain is anti- or parallel to this axis, the local tetragonal symmetry of the Cr5+ ion persists whereas it is reduced by a perpendicular orientation. Anisotropic EPR spectra of tetragonally and orthorhombic distorted Cr(5+)O6(12-) are detected at low temperatures. Increasing the temperature, the peaks of the two spectra are broadened and a motionally averaged isotropic spectrum appears at 200 K.