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Local structural changes associated with relaxor behavior in Sn-doped BaTiO3

Dongxiao Fan1,*, Tomoki Kanazawa1,2, Rie Haruki1, Youngmin Kim1, and Shunsuke Nozawa1,3,†

  • *Present address: Japanese Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, Sayo, Hyogo 679–5198, Japan.
  • †Contact author: noz@post.kek.jp
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Phys. Rev. Research 7, L032005 – Published 7 July, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/9rw6-7dh5

Abstract

Polar nanoregions (PNRs) play an important role in relaxor ferroelectrics. Despite decades of research, structural understanding of their formation is lacking. In this study, we investigate how PNRs form by using Ti K-edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy to observe local structural changes of polar sites when Sn is doped in the order-disorder-type ferroelectric BaTiO3. Sn doping, which induces local lattice distortion, suppresses the vibronic coupling caused by the pseudo-Jahn-Teller effect. As a result, the displacement of Ti at local polar sites is decreased and the energy barrier of the double-well potential is lowered, thus promoting the ordering of the electric dipole moments of polar domains. Our local structure study suggests that the PNR formation process and emergence of relaxor properties in Sn-doped BaTiO3 are closely related to the evolution of the local structural symmetry determined by the competition between local lattice distortion and vibronic coupling.

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Phys. Rev. Research 7, L032005– Published 7 July, 2025
  • Received 24 February 2025
  • Accepted 28 May 2025
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