Author:
Tolstikhina A L,Gainutdinov R V,Selezneva E V,Makarova I P
Abstract
Abstract
The new superprotonic crystal (K0.43(NH4)0.57)3H(SO4))2 is investigated by the scanning probe microscopy and X-ray diffraction. It is shown by piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) that the crystal is in paraelectric phase at room temperature. The ferroelectric phase transition in the crystal at the temperature decreasing from 296 to 282 K is revealed by PFM. The thin nanorelief is observed at the natural cleavage surface of the crystals by studying its topology with atomic force microscopy. The pits and hills of the nanorelief demonstrate the stable depth (height) of about 0.7 nm, which corresponds to 1/3 unit cell in c axis direction.