NMR and the local structure of relaxors

The relaxor transition in cubic perovskite relaxors (PMN, PSN and PST) and tungsten bronze relaxor (SBN) has been studied by NMR. The observed spectra are composed of a narrow -1/2 « 1/2 central transition superimposed on a broad background due to satellite transitions. The chemical heterogeneity, responsible for relaxor properties, is reflected here in the structure of the central transition part. The latter is composed of two components, one due to ordered and the other due to disordered regions. Despite of the fact that the macroscopic symmetry does not change when relaxor transition occurs, a non-zero quadruple coupling constant determined from NMR clearly demonstrates the broken local symmetry.