The structures and the improper ferroelastic phase transition of RbAlF4

Abstract
The layer compound RbA1F4 investigated by DSC, powder diffraction and linear birefringence is revealed to undergo structural phase transitions at Tc1 = 559.4 K and at Tc2 = 282.1 K. The structures of the three phases are determined by neutron powder profile refinement. The results are consistent with the space group P4/mmm (above Tc1), P4/mbm (from Tc1 to Tc2) and Pmmn (below Tc2). The transition is non-ferroic at Tc1 and improper ferroelastic at Tc2. The linear birefringence measured from 5 K to 630 K showed that the Tc1 phase transition is first order while the Tc2 phase transition is second order. The critical exponent of the order parameter as obtained from Δnab, β = 0.324, does not change on application of uniaxial stress up to 8 MPa.