An insight into the origin of low-symmetry bridging phase and enhanced functionality in systems containing competing phases.

High piezoelectric activity of ferroelectrics with morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) compositions has been the focus of numerous recent investigations. The concept of a bridging low-symmetry phase between competing phase structures of the MPB composition remains controversial due to the compositional inhomogeneity near the MPB and the lack of appropriate experimental techniques to delineate the complex crystal structures. We have studied a simple ferroelectric BaTiO3 by employing a high resolution synchrotron-based technique, in which the formation of different symmetry regions due to chemical inhomogeneity can be ruled out. We observed two types of thermotropic phase boundaries, revealing the importance of interphase-strain in the formation of a bridging phase between competing phases and the enhancement of functionality.