Domain-related phase transitionlike behavior in lead zinc niobate relaxor ferroelectric single crystals

Maureen L. Mulvihill, L. Eric Cross, Wenwu Cao, Kenji Uchino

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83 Scopus citations

Abstract

The relaxor ferroelectric lead zinc niobate (Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3) has been intensively investigated, because of its large dielectric and piezoelectric properties for applications in actuators and transducers. In this study, the in-situ behavior of the domains in Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3 single crystals has been observed using optical microscopy in combination with a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. The temperature of the sample has been cycled between -185°C and +200°C, while applying an electric field of up to ±10 kV/cm. Many characteristics, such as the induction of birefringence, the transition between the microdomains and macrodomains, and the "freeze-in" of the macrodomains, have been optically observed. The optical and dielectric data have been collected and plotted as a function of temperature and electric field. An electric-field-temperature diagram showing five domain-related regions has been proposed. The microdomain-to-macrodomain phase transitionlike behavior seems to be an analog of a martensitic phase transition.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1462-1468
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of the American Ceramic Society
Volume80
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1997

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Ceramics and Composites
  • Materials Chemistry

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