Enhancement of ferroelectric properties of Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3-BaTiO3 single crystals by Ce dopings

Ferroelectric single crystal of Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3-BaTiO3 (NBT-BT) and Ce doped NBT-BT have been grown by flux technique. It is found that the addition of Ce plays a significant role in improving the ferroelectric properties of NBT-BT crystals, (i) by improving the value of the dielectric constant at room temperature and at T-m (the phase transition temperature between antiferroelectric and paraelectric phases with dielectric maximum), (ii) by increasing the depolarization temperature (T-d) and T-m, (iii) by increasing the degree of diffuseness, and (iv) by increasing the remnant polarization (P-r) and coercive field (E-c). The reasons behind these enhancements of ferroelectric properties are discussed in detail. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.