Composition-induced structural phase transitions in the (Ba _1-xLa_x)₂In₂O_5+x (0≤x≤0.6) system

Composition-induced structural phase changes across the high temperature, fast oxide ion conducting (Ba_1-xLa_x)₂In ₂O_5+x, 0≤x≤0.6, system have been carefully analysed using hard mode infrared (IR) powder absorption spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and electron diffraction. An orthorhombic brownmillerite to three-dimensionally disordered cubic perovskite phase transition in this system is signalled by a drastic change in slope of both wavenumber and average line widths of IR spectra as a function of composition. Some evidence is found for the existence of an intermediate tetragonal phase (previously reported to exist from electron diffraction data) around x∼0.2. The new spectroscopic data have been used to compare microscopic and macroscopic strain parameters arising from variation in composition. The strain and spectroscopic data are consistent with first-order character for the tetragonal→orthorhombic transition, while the cubic→tetragonal transition could be continuous. Differences between the variation with composition of spectral parameters and of macroscopic strain parameters are consistent with a substantial order/disorder component for the transitions. There is also evidence for precursor effects within the cubic structure before symmetry is broken.