Atomistic Model Potential for PbTiO3 and PMN by Fitting First Principles Results

Abstract

We have developed a shell model potential to describe PbTiO3 and PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3 (PMN) by fitting to first-principles results. At zero pressure, the model reproduces the temperature behavior of PbTiO3, but with a smaller transition temperature than experimentally observed. We then fit a shell model potential for the complex PMN based on the transferability of the interatomic potentials. We find that even for ordered PMN, quenching the structure gives a non-polar state, but with local polarization (off-center ions) indicative of relaxor behavior.

published in special issue of Ferroelectrics for the EMF 2003 Conference