Application of the FITSC method for characterization of PZT-type ceramics with the diffuse phase transition

Abstract

In the present work the (Pb 0.84Ba 0.16)(Zr 0.54Ti 0.46)O 3 (PBZT 16/54/46) ceramics has been studied from the point of view of its electrical properties. Dielectric properties of PBZT were measured within the temperature range of the ferroelectric-paraelectric (FE-PE) phase transition region. The method of field-induced thermally stimulated currents (FITSC) was applied and thus the thermal relaxation effects were studied. The observed field dependence of thermally stimulated depolarization currents has revealed the existence of different frequency-dependent relaxation processes in the temperature range between 200 and 400 °C. Our experiment demonstrates that modification of ferroelectric materials with isovalent ions, but bigger radii than the origin atom, significantly affect its properties, particularly the PBZT real part of electrical permittivity shows the phase transition character change from ferroelectric to relaxor and finally, that electrical examination can be effectively used for drawing decisive applications conclusions considering polarization parameters distribution.