title: Direct observation of the formation of polar nanoregions in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3 using neutron pair distribution function analysis.
abstract: Using neutron pair distribution function analysis over the temperature range from 1000 to 15 K, we demonstrate the existence of local polarization and the formation of medium-range, polar nanoregions (PNRs) with local rhombohedral order in a prototypical relaxor ferroelectric Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))O3. We estimate the volume fraction of the PNRs as a function of temperature and show that this fraction steadily increases from 0% to a maximum of approximately 30% as the temperature decreases from 650 to 15 K. Below T approximately 200 K the volume fraction of the PNRs becomes significant, and PNRs freeze into the spin-glass-like state.
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA. jeong@lanl.gov
authors.forename: I-K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Darling
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Th
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Proffen
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Heffner
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dmowski
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Egami