Plastic deformation of piezoelectric lanthanum-gallium tantalate crystals during cyclic mechanical actions

Abstract

The microstructure of piezoelectric lanthanum-gallium tantalite single crystals is shown to change substantially during cyclic mechanical actions at room temperature and during thermal shock: the dislocation density increases, twinning takes place, and a mesostructure forms. This effect is related to the appearance of piezoelectric fields, which significantly decrease the temperature of the onset of plastic deformation of these brittle single crystals, during mechanical actions.