Local decomposition at the ferroelectric-antiferroelectric interphase boundaries and formation of mesoscopic structures in lead lanthanum titanate-zirconate solid solutions

TL;DR

This paper investigates the local decomposition process at the boundaries between ferroelectric and antiferroelectric domains in lead lanthanum titanate-zirconate solid solutions, revealing mechanisms behind mesoscopic structure formation.

Contribution

It presents the first study of local decomposition near interphase boundaries in this solid solution, analyzing the kinetics and mechanisms involved.

Findings

Local decomposition occurs near interphase boundaries during aging.

Kinetics of decomposition depend on the sample's thermal history.

Mechanisms involve diffusion processes leading to mesoscopic structures.

Abstract

The results of the first investigations of the process of local decomposition of lead-lanthanum zirconate-titanate solid solution in the vicinity of the interphase boundaries separating domains of coexisting ferroelectric and antiferroelectric phases are presented. The solid solution with the composition: 6 at% of La, 73 at% of Zr, and 27 at% of Ti is considered. The kinetics of the local decomposition of this solid solution in the process of aging of samples quenched down to room temperature from the paraelectric phase is studied. The mechanisms that define the kinetics of the process of establishment of the equilibrium state of coexisting domains of ferroelectric and antiferroelectric phases are discussed.