Improved electric-field-induced strain and strong photoluminescence properties in novel Er3+-modified 0.93Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-0.07BaTiO3 multifunctional ceramics

Abstract

Recently, the progress of electronic devices toward miniaturization has strongly promoted development of multifunctional materials possessing multiple desirable properties. In this study, we develop and fabricate 0.93Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-0.07BaTiO3-xEr multifunctional ceramics which show simultaneously considerable electric-field-induced strain and bright green light emission properties. With the introduction of Er3+, the ceramics gradually transform from non-ergodic relaxor phase to ergodic relaxor phase which could reversibly transform to ferroelectric phase under the electric field. As a result, with improving Er3+ content, the shape of the polarization-electric field loops of the ceramics become pinched, and it is obvious that the negative strain disappears while the positive strain gradually increases and reaches a maximum value 0.46% at x = 1.2 mol%. Besides, After the ceramics are poled, the light emission peak are greatly enhanced attributed to the decreased crystal symmetry and increased domain size, and is the strongest at x = 1.2 mol%. These results indicate that 0.93Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-0.07BaTiO3-xEr ceramics are good candidates for developing multifunctional optoelectronic devices.