KH2PO4 single crystals activated with the Ti4+ ions in the form of TiO2−x × nH2O nanoparticles: Structural peculiarities, point defects, and dielectric properties

Abstract

Potassium dihydrogen phosphate KH2PO4 (KDP) single crystals activated with Ti4+ ions in the form of TiO2−x × nH2O nanoparticles in the η-phase, synthesized by the sulfate method using TiOSO4 × хH2SO4 × yH2O, have been first grown by the temperature lowering method and cut from pyramidal (P) and prismatic (Pr) growth sectors. The first-performed neutron powder diffraction investigation of P and Pr samples cut from the KDP:Ti4+ crystal allowed us to reveal vacancies in the K and H sites for both samples, their number being larger in the Pr structure compared to the P one. Taking into account the deficiency of the K and H sites, full occupation of the O site, presence of Ti4+ ions in the structure, and the electroneutrality condition, a partial substitution of (PO4)3− anion by the (SO4)2− one, larger for the Pr sample, was observed. The real compositions of P and Pr samples, correlated with the cation-anion internuclear distances, were refined. The dielectric permittivity of the Pr sample was significantly lower than that of the P one; it decreases with decreasing К–O, P–O, and O···H distances and increasing deficiency of the K and H sites.