Growth and characterization of (1−x)PbMg1/3Ta2/3O3–xPbTiO3 single crystals

Single crystals of (1−x)PbMg1/3Ta2/3O3–xPbTiO3, (1−x)PMT–xPT, solid solutions of concentration 0⩽x⩽0.6 were grown by the flux method. The PbO–Pb3O4–B2O3 system was used as a solvent. Transparent and light yellow (1−x)PMT–xPT single crystals of rectangular shape and dimensions up to 4×4×3 mm3 were obtained. The chemical composition of single crystals was determined by energy dispersion spectrometry EDS technique. These tests showed that Ti concentrations in the grown crystals were smaller than in the solutions. X-ray tests pointed that for the applied growth conditions only the crystals of the perovskite structure have been grown. They also showed that with the increase of Ti content the room temperature symmetry changes from cubic to tetragonal. Dielectric studies showed that with Ti concentration increase the observed phase transition transforms gradually from the relaxor type to normal ferroelectric one and shifts towards higher temperatures.