Metastable ferroelectric phase in potassium dihydrogen phosphate induced by a static electric field

Abstract

Raman scattering experiments show that potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystals undergo a metastable ferroelectric phase transition induced by a static electric field at 119 K. Qualitative changes occur in the Raman spectra of all possible scattering geometries for applied d.c. electric field intensities of the order of 4 kV cm−1. The phase transition is induced by rotation of phosphate ions changing from C2(Z) local sites symmetries to σv(YZ) sites maintaining the same factor group C2v. An assignment of the modes in the metastable phase is presented. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.