Ferroelectricity in zinc cadmium telluride

Ferroelectricity in Znₓ{Cd}_{1{{-}}x}$Te was found from the temperature variation of the dielectric constant, and from the hysteresis loop. The Zn contents varied from 4% to 45%. No ferroelectricity was found in pure CdTe but all samples containing Zn had a second-order ferroelectric transition. The transition temperature varied from 90 to 245 ^∘{}C. The polarization was in a 〈111〉 direction. While no existing model matches the rapid rise of the Curie constant for 0<x<0.04, there is some evidence to support an order-disorder transition.