Elastic neutron scattering and dielectric behaviour of 4% brominated betaine calcium chloride dihydrate (BCCD)

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 1999

Authors

Vieira, LG (Author) Other; Hernandez, O (Author) Other; Almeida, A (Author) FCUP; Quilichini, M (Author) Other; Ribeiro, JL (Author) Other; Chaves, MR (Author) FCUP; Klopperpieper, A (Author) Other

Journal

Title: European Physical Journal B

Vol. 10

Pages: 447-456

ISSN: 1434-6028

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 4 Citations

Scopus - 4 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-001-3Q6

DOI: 10.1007/s100510050873

Abstract (EN): We report a combined experimental study by means of elastic neutron scattering and dielectric measurements of a partially deuterated and x = 4% brominated BCCD (Betaine Calcium Chloride Dihydrate) crystal. The lowest-temperature phase is one-dimensional modulated and characterized by the coexistence of different commensurate domains (with delta = 1/4, 4/17, 2/9 and 1/5 on cooling), but with a clear predominance of the five-fold phase. A huge global thermal hysteresis of the wave-vector of the modulation, attaining values of about 9 K in the incommensurate phase and up to 15 K in the "harmless" low temperature part of the phase diagram, is observed up to T-i. The role of lattice defects on this phenomenon is discussed. Similarly to the behaviour of the pure compound, the structural modulation evolves on cooling towards a soliton regime (growth of third and fifth-order satellite peaks); probably with respect tu a non-stabilized non-modulated ferroelectric phase. The critical temperatures deduced from dielectric constant and pyroelectric current measurements are in very good agreement with those obtained from neutron scattering, The dielectric anomaly observed in epsilon(b)"(T) at T similar or equal to 85 K, and known as the "T-s-anomaly", could not be related with any special feature detected in the neutron data, and in particular no correlation between this anomaly and the appearance of the soliton regime can be established.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 10