Raman scattering studies at high pressure and low temperature: technique and application to the piezoelectric material PbZr1-xTixO3.

Raman spectroscopy is a powerful tool for the study of solids under extreme conditions of pressure and temperature. This technique can be used to determine phase diagrams and study phase transition mechanisms. Raman spectroscopy can be used to characterize disorder present in crystalline solids and is sensitive to local structural configurations. The combined use of diamond anvil cells and closed-cycle helium cryostats enables Raman scattering experiments to be performed at pressures exceeding 50 GPa in the 10-300 K temperature range. The use of this technique to study the perovskite-type piezoelectric material PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 enables the monoclinic and cubic phases present in this system to be characterized and their pressure-temperature domains of stability to be defined. Raman scattering results indicate the presence of polar domains in the cubic, high-pressure phase. The ferroelectric monoclinic phases exhibit extended stability at high pressure and low temperature.