Phase diagram of the ferroelectric relaxor ( 1 − x ) PbMg 1 / 3 Nb 2 / 3 O 3 − x PbTiO 3

Synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction measurements have been performed on unpoled ceramic samples of $(1\ensuremath{-}x)\mathrm{Pb}({\mathrm{Mg}}_{1/3}{\mathrm{Nb}}_{2/3}){\mathrm{O}}_{3}\ensuremath{-}x{\mathrm{PbTiO}}_{3}$ (PMN-xPT) with $30%<~x<~39%$ as a function of temperature around the morphotropic phase boundary, which is the line separating the rhombohedral and tetragonal phases in the phase diagram. The experiments have revealed very interesting features previously unknown in this or related systems. The sharp and well-defined diffraction profiles observed at high and intermediate temperatures in the cubic and tetragonal phases, respectively, are in contrast to the broad features encountered at…

• UD
  U.S. Department of Energy

  Awards: AC02-98CH10886, DE-AC02, Contract No. DE-AC02-98CH10886, DE-AC02-
• OO
  Office of Naval Research

  Award: N00014
• BN
  Brookhaven National Laboratory

  Awards: DE-AC02-98CH10886, AC02-98CH10886, Contract No. DE-AC02-98CH10886