Dynamic elastic response of KMn(1-x)Ca(x)F(3): Elastic softening and domain freezing

Author(s)
Wilfried Schranz, Peter Sondergeld, Andri V Kityk, Ekhard K H Salje
Abstract

Results of continuous-wave resonance (MHz-region) and ultralow-frequency (Hz-region) dynamic mechanical analyzer measurements of pure KMnF(3) and mixed crystals KMn(1-x)Ca(x)F(3) (x <0.017) are presented in a broad temperature range including the phase-transition regions. The elastic anomalies depend strongly on the measurement frequency: The MHz-elastic constants can be well fitted by Landau theory including the difference between isothermal and adiabatic behavior. Contrary, at low frequencies (0.1-50 Hz) an elastic softening (superelasticity) due to domain-wall motion is found quite similar to that observed recently in isostructural SrTiO(3) [A. V. Kityk , Phys. Rev. B 61, 946 (2000)]. However, unlike to SrTiO(3), for the mixed system KMn(1-x)Ca(x)F(3) we have measured freezing of the domain-wall movement around 100 K in a certain range of concentration of Ca(2+) ions (x=0.003). Calculating the dynamic elastic response to the ac-stress field by taking into account the motion of randomly pinned ferroelastic domain walls in KMn(1-x)Ca(x)F(3) yields excellent agreement between theory and experiment.

Organisation(s)
Physics of Functional Materials
External organisation(s)
University of Cambridge, Czestochowa University of Technology (CUT)
Journal
Physical Review B
Volume
80
No. of pages
12
ISSN
1098-0121
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.80.094110
Publication date
2009
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
103009 Solid state physics, 103008 Experimental physics, 103029 Statistical physics, 103002 Acoustics
Portal url
https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/dynamic-elastic-response-of-kmn1xcaxf3-elastic-softening-and-domain-freezing(e7bdede1-d91a-45bb-92f3-41894fb7b214).html