Depth Dependant Element Analysis of PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3 using Muonic X-rays

Published

February 28, 2018

Author(s)

Katherine L Brown, Chris PJ Stockdale, Haosu Luo, X Zhao, Jiefang Li, Dwight Viehland, Guangyong Xu, Peter M. Gehring, K Ishida, A. D. Hillier, C. Stock

Abstract

The relaxor PbMg_1.3Nb_2/3O₃ (PMN) has received attention due to its potential applications as a piezoelectric when doped with PbTiO3 (PT). Previous results have found that there are two phases existing in the system, one linked to the near-surface regions of the sample, the other in the bulk. However, the exact origin of these two phases is unclear. In this paper, depth dependent analysis results from negative muon implantation experiments are presented. It is shown that the Pb content is constant throughout all depths probed in the sample, but the Mg and Nb content changes in the near-surface region below 100µm. At a implantation depth of 60µm, it is found that there is a 25% increase in Mg content, with a simultaneous 5% decrease in Nb content in order to maintain charge neutrality. These results show that the previously observed skin effects in PMN are due to a change in concentration and unit cell.

Citation

Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter

Volume

30

Issue

12

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

Relaxors, skin effect, PMN, lead magnesium niobate, perovskite, muon implantation

Citation

Brown, K. , Stockdale, C. , Luo, H. , Zhao, X. , Li, J. , Viehland, D. , Xu, G. , Gehring, P. , Ishida, K. , Hillier, A. and Stock, C. (2018), Depth Dependant Element Analysis of PbMg_1/3Nb_2/3O₃ using Muonic X-rays, Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=925395 (Accessed October 9, 2025)