DC Bias Effects on Piezoelectric Constants of Rhombohedral Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 Single Crystals

Abstract

DC bias effects on piezoelectric constants of rhombohedral Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 (PZN–PT) single crystals were characterized using optical measurements. Piezoelectric constants decreased with increasing DC bias due to a decrease in the dielectric constant. The 0.92Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.08PbTiO3 single crystal, which approximates morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) composition and may have a smaller phase transition energy barrier from rhombohedral to tetragonal, showed a bigger change in piezoelectric constant than the pure PZN and 0.955PZN–0.045PT single crystal, which are far from MPB composition. The different behavior in the piezoelectric constant under DC bias for the composition implies a different domain orientation energy from <111> to <001> or <011> directions.