Structural phase transition of ternary dielectric SmGdO3: Evidence from angle dispersive x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopic studies

High-pressure synchrotron based angle dispersive x-ray diffraction (ADXRD) studies were carried out on SmGdO3 (SGO) up to 25.7 GPa at room temperature. ADXRD results indicated a reversible pressure-induced phase transition from ambient monoclinic to hexagonal phase at ∼8.9 GPa. The observed pressure-volume data were fitted with the third order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state yielding zero pressure bulk modulus B0 = 132(22) and 177(9) GPa for monoclinic (B-type) and hexagonal (A-type) phases, respectively. Pressure dependent micro-Raman spectroscopy further confirmed the monoclinic to hexagonal phase transition at about 5.24 GPa. The mode Gruneisen parameters and pressure coefficients for different Raman modes corresponding to each individual phases of SGO were calculated using pressure dependent Raman mode analysis.