Raman scattering study of the high-temperature vibrational properties and stability of CaGeO3 perovskite

The vibrational properties of metastable Ca-GeO₃ perovskite are investigated as a function of temperature using Raman scattering. Mode-assignments are derived from polarized spectra of optically oriented single crystals. Neither symmetry-breaking structural transformations nor soft-mode behavior is revealed in the Raman spectra between room temperature and 650° C. Only a small decrease in the local static octahedral tilt angles can be inferred from the Raman data over this temperature range. A Landau extrapolation of the lowest frequency A_g modes suggests that these modes become critical near 2000° C, a temperature that is above the extrapolated zero pressure melting point.