Domain switching and rotation in lead zirconate titanate ceramics by poling fields

Abstract

Domain switching and rotation in soft lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics were investigated in comparison with those in hard PZT ceramics by measuring the poling field dependence of the dielectric and piezoelectric properties. The minimum dielectric constant (fcp) and maximum frequency constant (fcp) were observed at the coercive fields, which correspond to the poling fields required to obtain the minimum planar coupling factor. These phenomena were due to the 180° domain clamping at these fields. The fields of 90° (71° or 109°) domain rotation were estimated using the relationships between the maximum fcp and minimum fcp. While minimum ϵt and maximum fcp due to domain clamping were observed in the compositions of tetragonal and rhombohedral soft PZT ceramics, domain rotations which caused maximum ϵt and minimum fcp were mainly observed in rhombohedral hard PZT ceramics. It was thought that the reason why domain rotations which caused maximum ϵt and minimum fcp were not obtained in soft PZT was the mechanical softness of the ceramics.