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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