Complex structure and Mössbauer effect observed in the course of phase transitions in PbZr0.72Sn0.28O3 single crystal

Irena Jankowska-Sumara; Mariola Kądziołka-Gaweł; Maria Podgórna; Andrzej Majchrowski; Krystian Roleder

doi:10.1063/5.0032957

Complex structure and Mössbauer effect observed in the course of phase transitions in PbZr_0.72Sn_0.28O₃ single crystal

J Chem Phys. 2020 Dec 14;153(22):224202. doi: 10.1063/5.0032957.

Authors

Irena Jankowska-Sumara¹, Mariola Kądziołka-Gaweł², Maria Podgórna¹, Andrzej Majchrowski³, Krystian Roleder²

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Physics, Cracow Pedagogical University, Ul. Podchorążych 2, 30-84 Kraków, Poland.
² Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, Ul. 75 Pułku Piechoty 1, 41-500 Chorzów, Poland.
³ Institute of Applied Physics, Military University of Technology, Ul. Gen. S. Kaliskiego 2, 00-908 Warsaw, Poland.

PMID: 33317304
DOI: 10.1063/5.0032957

Abstract

The Mössbauer effect was used to study the structural transitions in a PbZr_0.72Sn_0.28O₃ single crystal. Two kinds of quadrupole splittings were registered and connected with two different environments of the Sn ion occupying the center of SnO₆ octahedra. What is responsible for the existence of these two environments is the disorder in tilts of oxygen octahedra and antiparallel shifts of pairs of lead ions. Both disorders decide on structural transitions which the PbZr_0.72Sn_0.28O₃ single crystal undergoes. The two kinds of quadruple splittings that have been observed do not disappear at temperatures far above phase transitions. This indicates that the structure of the paraelectric phase is locally non-centrosymmetric and confirms pre-transitional effects previously reported for Sn doped PbZrO₃ single crystals.