Pressure Induced Structural Transition in LuFe2O4: Towards a New Charge Ordered State

The electronic ferroelectric lutetium ferrite (LuFe2O4) was studied by x-ray diffraction as a function of pressure. Pressure is shown to induce an irreversible rhombohedral to orthorhombic transition leading to a supercell determined by the combination of electron and synchrotron x-ray diffraction. This new configuration is proposed to be charge ordered in agreement with the results of resistivity measurements.