The ferroelectric phase of CdTiO{sub 3}: A powder neutron diffraction study
The synthesis of bulk samples of polycrystalline CdTiO{sub 3} in both the rhombohedral ilmenite and orthorhombic perovskite forms is described and the structures of these have been refined using powder neutron diffraction data. This involved the preparation of samples enriched in {sup 114}Cd. Cooling perovskite-type CdTiO{sub 3} to 4 K induces a ferroelectric phase transition, with the neutron data suggesting the low temperature structure is in Pna2{sub 1}. Mode analysis shows the polar mode to be dominant at low temperatures. The ilmenite-structure of CdTiO{sub 3} is compared with that of ZnTiO{sub 3}. The refined scattering length of the {sup 114}Cd is estimated to be 5.56 fm. Attempts to dope CdTiO{sub 3} with Ca and Sr are described. - Graphical abstract: The structure of three phases of CdTiO{sub 3} have been refined using high resolution powder neutron diffraction data. This involved the preparation of samples enriched in {sup 114}Cd. Cooling perovskite-type CdTiO{sub 3} to 4 K results in a ferroelectric phase in Pna2{sub 1}. Highlights: > Both the ilmenite and perovskite forms of CdTiO{sub 3} have been prepared using {sup 114}Cd. > Cooling the perovskite form results in a ferroelectric phase. > The structures of these are refined from powder neutron diffraction data. > Attempts to dope CdTiO{sub 3} are described.