Search

In this paper, we report the X‐ray diffraction studies over the temperature range of 300–900 K and subsequent Rietveld refinement of the diffraction patterns shows that there is no evidence of any structural phase transition in YCrO3 (YCO) across the paraelectric to ferroelectric phase transitions (TC~ 460 K), and the material retains the orthorhombic structure with Pnma space group. However, a detailed analysis reveals local distortions in the CrO6 octahedra. To probe the local structural distortion, we have carried out temperature‐dependent, unpolarized Raman measurements, from 300 to 600 K. YCrO3 shows a strong anomalous deviation in both phonon wavenumbers and line widths around TC. YCrO3 is reported to possess as an incipient ferroelectric material to show that there are two competing phenomenon—onset of ferroelectricity due to rotation of CrO6 octahedra and displacement of Y atom leading to suppression of ferroelectricity. This competition reveals that although the octahedral rotations favor a lower symmetry state, the Y atom displacement opposes it leaving YCO to exhibit only an incipient ferroelectric state. These results while being in agreement with the earlier theoretical predictions can also help suggest a pathway to a more stable ferroelectric state in these oxides by using a larger cationic substitution at the Y site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]