Raman scattering and infrared absorption studies of Nd2Zr2O7

Low temperature Raman and IR studies in the temperature range 300 K-10 K together with high-pressure Raman spectroscopic investigations of Nd2Zr2O7 up to 20 GPa has been reported in order to study the existence of any low temperature-high pressure phase in this system and the role of oxygen vacancy on the structural transition, if any in this highly ordered pyrochlore structure. We observe subtle changes in the spectra including substantial broadening of Raman and IR modes with increasing pressure. However these changes are difficult to attribute to any kind of phase transition and the presence of the oxygen vacancies does not seem to reduce the stability of the original pyrochlore Nd2Zr2O7 matrix by large extent. (author)