Structural Study of Intermediate Phase in Layered Perovskite SrBi₂Ta₂O₉Single Crystal

Abstract

The crystal structure of an intermediate phase of Bi-layered ferroelectric SrBi2Ta2O9 single crystals was studied by means of X-ray diffraction. An analysis of the extinction rules and X-ray intensities demonstrated that the crystal structure is orthorhombic with space group A21am in the ferroelectric phase and Amam in the intermediate phase; this conclusion is in good agreement with the findings of previous powder neutron diffraction studies.