Only recently have high-pressure studies been devoted to understand the perovskite systems properties and the respective transition pathways. Pressure is an important thermodynamic variable, for it enables a precise control over the interatomic distances and hence the atomic interactions, in turn driving phase-transitions. Almost all materials will undergo several phase-transitions under compression, thus generating new polymorphs with promising properties, different to those properties of materials under room conditions. It has been found that factors which are known to control the ABO3 perovskites pressure response, such as the A- and B-site cation formal charges, the tolerance factor, and the B-site chemical environments, also affect the pressure response of the layered perovskites. Therefore, the interest in applying pressure to probe the structural, electronic and vibrational properties to such structures.
Paulo Brás, Paulo Silva, Jaime Silva