Field history dependence of nonlinear dielectric properties of Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 ceramics under bias electric field: Polarization behavior of polar nano-regions

Nonlinear dielectric properties of Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 ceramics prepared by citrate method were investigated under bias electric field with respect to field history. X-ray diffraction analysis and temperature dependence of the dielectric constant (εr) confirmed a macroscopically paraelectric state for the specimen at room temperature. A slim polarization versus electric field (P–E) hysteresis loop of the specimen at room temperature indicated the existence of polar nano-regions (PNRs) superimposed on the paraelectric background. The nonlinear dielectric properties in continuous cycles of bias field sweep displayed a strong sensitivity to the field history. This phenomenon was qualitatively explained in terms of an irreversible polarization evolution of the PNRs under the bias fields. A considerable decline of the tunability with the cycle number suggests an appreciable contribution of the PNRs to the dielectric nonlinearity. The polarization and size of the PNRs were determined by fitting the dielectric constants to a multipolarization mechanism model.