Dielectric properties of PMT-PT crystals

Abstract

Results of broadband dielectric investigations of 0.94PbMg1/3Ta2/3O3-0.06PbTiO3 (0.94PMT-0.06PT or PMT-PT) crystals in wide temperature range from 100 K to 950 K are presented. Below 300 K the dielectric properties of crystals are governed by polar nanoregions dynamics. However, at higher temperatures (above 600 K) the electrical conductivity effects also become important. The electrical conductivity occurs presumably due the hopping of oxygen vacancies and demonstrates change in the activation energy close to 750 K. The change in the activation energy can be explained by increase of concentration of single ionized vacancies. No anomaly in the temperature dependence of the static dielectric permittivity was observed in wide temperature range from 213 K to 950 K and the dependence was successfully described by spherical random bonds random fields theory. Moreover, two different contributions were successfully separated in the distributions of relaxation times in PMT-PT crystals. These contributions were attributed to different polar nanoregions dynamics. Moreover, the different freezing temperatures values were obtained for most probable and longest relaxation times, which was explained with an idea of continuous distribution of relaxation times broadening on cooling in relaxors. The critical remarks about the Vogel-Fulcher law application for relaxors are addressed in the paper.