Low frequency dielectric response of mechanosynthesized (Pb0.9Ba0.1)(Fe0.50Nb0.50)O3 nanoceramics

The nanocrystalline (40 nm) samples of Pb(Fe0.50Nb0.50)O-3 (PFN) and Pb0.90Ba0.1(Fe0.5Nb0.5)O-3 (PBFN) were synthesized by mechanosynthesis and mixed oxide methods. Preliminary structural analysis of these samples showed that tetragonal PFN can be distorted to orthorhombic structure on 10% Ba substitution in it. One of the relaxor characteristics (i.e., diffuse phase transition with low frequency dielectric dispersion) was observed in PBFN with a decrease in the transition temperature from 380 K (PFN) to 170 K. The suggested relaxor behavior in a new PFN composition is possibly due to compositional fluctuations at the nanolevel. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.