ELECTRIC-FIELD EFFECT ON COMMENSURATE PHASE IN ZRTIO4 CERAMICS

With use of x-ray diffraction, the creation of a new commensurate phas e with modulation wave vector q(0) = 26/50 a by the application of lo w de electric field along a-axis in ZrTiO4 is demonstrated. The temper ature range over which this induced phase exists (12 K at E = 800 V/mm ) increases with increasing de electric field. Under high electric fie ld, the existence of several new field-induced regions of stability is shown for the wave number q corresponding to the high commensurabilit y orders 2/15, 4/29 and 6/43. It is suggested that this result Can be accounted forby sequences of antiphase domains of the type <7>(n)<8> ( n = 1, 3 and 5) where <m> represents a domain of m consecutive aligned layers.