Microwave study of the soft ferroelectric mode in Sn2P2S6crystals

This paper presents the results of the investigation of dielectric dispersion in semiconductive ferroelectric Sn2P2S6 crystals over the frequency range 1 kHz to 78.5 GHz. The main dielectric dispersion in Sn2P2S6 is caused by the soft ferroelectric Bu mode and in the vicinity of the Curie point it occurs in the millimeter region. The frequency of the soft mode in the paraelectric phase varies according to vs = 35 (T-Tc )½ GHz on approaching the Curie point. The soft mode is strongly overdamped. Close to Tc the relative damping is y/vs = 14. The dielectric contribution of the soft mode is equal to the static dielectric permittivity and it explains its whole temperature-dependence.