Local Structure Studies of Ti for SrTi16O3 and SrTi18O3 by Advanced X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy Data Analysis

Strontium titanate is a model quantum paraelectric in which in the region of dominating quantum statistics the ferroelectric instability is inhibited due to nearly complete compensation of the harmonic contribution into ferroelectric soft mode frequency by the zero-point motion contribution. The enhancement of atomic masses by the substitution of 18O for 16O decreases the zero-point atomic motion and low-T ferroelectricity in SrTi18O3 is realized. In this study we report on the local structure of Ti in SrTi16O3 and SrTi18O3 by Ti K-edge extended x-ray absorption fine structure measurements in temperature range 6 - 300 K.