Ferroelectric InMnO3: Growth of single crystals, structure and high-temperature phase transitions

• InMnO3 single crystals with average size of 1 mm were grown in PbF2 flux at 950 °C.
• The room-temperature state of InMnO3 is ferroelectric with polar P63cm structure.
• PolarInMnO3 reversibly transforms to a centrosymmetric P63/mmc structure above 700 °C.

To understand the origin of the ferroelectricity in InMnO3, single crystals with average size of 1 mm were grown in PbF2 flux at 950 °C. The results of single crystal X-ray diffraction, second harmonic generation and piezoresponse force microscopy studies of high-quality InMnO3 single crystals reveal that the room-temperature state in this material is ferroelectric with P63cm symmetry. The polar InMnO3 specimen undergoes a reversible phase transition from non-centrosymmetric P63cm structure to a centrosymmetric P63/mmc structure at 700 °C as confirmed by the in situ high-temperature Raman spectroscopic and synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments.

Piezoresponse fore microscopy (PFM) studies of high quality InMnO3 single crystal revealed that the room-temperature state of this material is ferroelectric with a clear cloverleaf pattern corresponding to six antiphase ferroelectric domains with alternating polarization ±Pz.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide