Domain configuration and ferroelectric related properties of relaxor based single crystals

Domain configuration and ferroelectric related properties of rhombohedral Pb(Zn_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃ and its solid solution with PbTiO₃ were investigated as a function of E-field and crystallographic orientation. Although a single domain state could be achieved by applying an E-field along the rhombohedral polar direction [111], a multidomain state was recovered with the removal of the E-field. This domain instability resulted in hysteresis of the strain vs. E-field behavior. In contrast, an engineered domain configuration of [001] oriented rhombohedral crystals was found to be stable with no domain motion detectable under DC-bias, resulting in hysteresis minimized strain vs. E-field behavior. Crystallographically, this domain stability could be ascribed to the macroscopically tetragonal symmetry (4mm), resulting from the engineering of domains with rhombohedral symmetry (3m).