Raman scattering investigation and symmetry analysis of ferroelectric/ferroelastic Sb₅O₇I polytype 2MA

The polytype 2MA (β-Sb5O7I) has the simplest acentric structure of the antimony oxideiodide family. It undergoes an antiferrodistortive phase transition at 438K and is both ferroelectric and ferroelastic below that temperature. The complete polarized Raman spectra in the ferroic phase have been measured and compared with those of the ferroelastic, centric polytype 2MC (α-Sb5O7I). Several lines could be attributed to Sb-0 and Sb-I vibrations. A factor group analysis has been performed and compatibility relations have been established connecting phonon species in the low and high temperature phase. As a function of temperature the spectra revealed a strongly temperature dependent central line and several phonon lines whose intensities vanish above Tc. Using these phonon line intensities the temperature variation of the order parameter could be determined. The experimental results indicate that the phase transition is of first order. © 1979 Springer-Verlag.