Production and properties of doped PSN electro-optical ceramics

Due to multifunctionality the transparent ferroelectric ceramics is attractive to solid state chemistry and physics as a promising material for active electro-optic elements. To study doping effects on the technological processing and properties, ceramic samples of Pb 1-x Z x Sc 1/2 Nb 1/2 O 3 , have been prepared, where Z: (1) Ba (0 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 1), (2) rare-earth elements: Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu (x equals 0.1), (3) PbSc 1/2 Nb 1/2 O 3 doped with 5 wt.% of rare-earth oxides. Ceramic characteristics, dielectric and electro-optical parameters have been measured. Differential thermal analysis (DTA), and x-ray diffraction are used to study the influence of doping on the solid state reactions and to determine the sequence of phases formed during the processes in oxide mixtures in the 500 degree to 950 degree Celsius interval. The pervoskite structure of PbSc 1/2 Nb 1/2 O 3 (PSN) is found to be formed in a complicated multistage process with several intermediate products during the reaction.