Growth of (Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-Ba(Ti1-xZrx)O3 single crystals by solid state single crystal growth

Single crystals of (Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-Ba(Ti1-xZrx)O-3 are of interest for use in actuator applications due to their high electrostrictive strain. Growth of single crystals by traditional techniques requires specialised equipment and it is difficult to control chemical homogeneity in crystals with complex composition. In the present work, single crystals of 0.95(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-0.05Ba(Ti1-xZrx)O-3 have been grown for the first time by the solid state single crystal growth technique. < 001 > -oriented SrTiO3 seed crystals were encased in powders of 0.95(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-0.05Ba(Ti1-xZrx)O-3 (x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.05, 0.10) and sintered. Single crystals of 0.95(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-0.05Ba(Ti1-xZrx)O-3 grew epitaxially on the seed crystals. Doping with Zr drastically reduced both the single crystal and matrix grain growth rates. Electron Probe Micro Analysis revealed the single crystals to be Na and Bi-deficient. Micro-Raman scattering showed that the single crystals and matrix grains have the same rhombohedral (Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3 structure. The Raman modes of both single crystal and matrix broaden with increasing Zr content.