Ferroelectric phase transitions and electroconducting properties of ceramic BIMEVOX solid solutions (Me = La, Zr)

Ceramic solid solutions Bi4(V1-xZrx)2O11-z (I), (Bi1-yLay)4V2O11-z (II) and (Bi1-yLay)4(V0.96Zr0.05)2O11-z (III) with x < 0.30, y < 0.20, were prepared by the solid state reaction method and were investigated by means of various experimental techniques. The low temperature ferroelectric α-phase exists in the solid solutions with x, y ≤ 0.05. The phase transition to paraelectric β-phase was revealed in these compositions by the dielectric spectroscopy, SHG and DTA/DSC methods. Dielectric permittivity measurements confirmed an effect of the domain walls "pinning" due to the presence of oxygen vacancies inherent to the bismuth vanadate based structures. Switching of ferroelectric domains by an external electric field was observed in Piezoresponse Force Microscopy experiments. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.