High-temperature phase transitions in TlIn Te-2 crystals

摘要

Dependencies of the lattice parameters and the coefficient of thermal expansion of TlInTe2 crystals on temperature are studied at a wide range of temperatures by using XRD, dilatometer, differential thermal analysis, and impedance spectroscopy (IS) methods. The IS measurements of the dielectric function were done along the c-axis and normal to the (110)-plane. IS for E perpendicular to (110)-plane was done for two values of the amplitudes, U-0 = 0.04V and 1V, of ac-voltage with different frequencies; moreover, the measurements for E parallel to c were realized at U-0 = 0.04V only. IS measurements demonstrate a sequence of the phase transitions (PTs) to the ferroelectric and the ionic conductivity states, also to a structural phase transition. Tl+ ions are shown to shift in the direction of normal to c-axis in the ferroelectric PT, but they are activated along the c-axis in the ionic conductivity PT. The dielectric function in the ionic conductivity PT is shown to increase to a huge positive value and then to drop to a big negative value, reversing its sign. An explanation of this effect is provided as a competition of Drude and polarization contribution to the dielectric function under ac-electric field. Thermal effects of the phase transitions were determined. Published by AIP Publishing.