Effects of element substitution on the pyroelectric phase transition of stuffed-tridymite-type BaZnGeO4

• Dielectric measurements were performed on the pyroelectric stuffed-tridymite.
• The local distortion of oxygen tetrahedra tunes the phase transition properties.
• The present result sheds light on the development of novel pyroelectric devices.

Effects of element substitution on the phase transition between different pyroelectric phases of the stuffed-tridymite-type oxide, BaZnGeO4, are examined by dielectric measurements on BaZn1−xMxGeO4 (M=Ni, Co, and Mn) with x=0.05 and 0.10. The Ni2+-substitution is found to suppress strongly the phase transition, in marked contrast to the cases of Co2+ and Mn2+ that have only subtle influences on the transition temperature. Internal distortions of MO4 tetrahedra due to the Jahn–Teller effect might play a major role in the variation of transition temperature induced by the element substitution.

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