Effect of impurities on the incommensurate-commensurate phase transitions in Rb2ZnCl4, K2ZnCl4 and Rb2ZnBr4

Abstract The thermal hysteresis accompanying the incommensurate-commensurate phase transitions in Rb2ZnCl4, K2ZnCl4 and Rb2ZnBr4 is assumed to be caused by pinning of the incommensurate wave by defects in the crystal. The results obtained for (Rb1-xKx)2ZnCl4 mixed crystal system are also well explained in terms of such pinning effect of defects.