X-ray Diffraction Study of BaTiO3 Single Crystals before and after Fast-Neutron Irradiation

摘要

The neutron irradiation of ferroelectrics is efficiently used to form structural states that cannot be obtained by conventional technologies. To date, the effect of neutron irradiation on the structure and properties of BaTiO3 has been studied for only ceramic materials. We have considered the influence of fast-neutron irradiation (F = 1 x 10(17) cm(-2)) on the structure and properties of BaTiO3 single crystals for the first time. The structural changes occurring in irradiated BaTiO3 and their correlation with the behavior of dielectric and nonlinear optical characteristics are analyzed with the aid of a specially developed method for taking into account the experimental correction to diffuse scattering. Neutron irradiation to the aforementioned dose retains the polar structure of the material and only slightly changes atomic displacements. The radiationinduced structural changes occur according to the high-temperature type to form a structure similar to the cubic modification of unirradiated BaTiO3 crystal.