The structural state of lead-based relaxor ferroelectrics under pressure

The exceptional properties of lead-based perovskite-type (ABO
₃
) relaxor ferroelectrics are due to their structural inhomogeneities. At ambient conditions, the average structure is pseudocubic but rich in ferroic nanoregions too small to be directly studied by conventional diffraction analysis. However, combining in situ temperature and pressure diffraction and Raman scattering allows us to resolve the structural complexity of relaxors. Because of the different length and time scales of sensitivity, diffraction probes the long-range order, i.e., the structure averaged over time and space, whereas Raman spectroscopy can detect local structural deviations from the average structure via the anomalous Raman activity of the phonon modes that, when the symmetry of the average structure is considered, should not generate Raman peaks. Hence, the combined analysis of the long-range order induced at low temperatures or high pressures and of the phonon anomalies enhanced on temperature decrease or pressure increase can reveal the energetically preferred structural nanoclusters existing at ambient conditions. In this regard, high-pressure experiments are vital for understanding the nanoscale structure of relaxors. Using X-ray diffraction, neutron diffraction, and Raman scattering on stoichiometric and doped PbSc
_0.5
Ta
_0.5
O
₃
and PbSc
_0.5
Na
_0.5
O
₃
, we demonstrate the existence of a pressure-induced cubic-to-rhombohedral continuous phase transition. The high-pressure structure has suppressed polar shifts of B-site cations, enhanced correlation of Pb-O ferroic species, and long-range ordered antiphase BO
₆
octahedral tilts. The critical pressure is preceded by an intermediate pressure at which the coupling between off-centered Pb and B-cations is suppressed and octahedral tilting detectable by neutron diffraction is developed.