Conceivable Engineered Domain Configurations of Monoclinic C m-Phases in Relaxor PZN-PT Crystals

We have derived possible domain configurations and macroscopic symmetries that can be induced in the monoclinic Cm phase of PZN-PT crystals by external fields. It appears that electric field can, theoretically, produce 5 different types of coherent configurations (consisting of equivalent domain states of the same free energy in external field(s)) with non-zero average polarization which can be, in principle, switched by electric field. In combination with mechanical stress other 4 types of multidomain structures exhibiting similar properties can be induced. Examples of conceivable polar incoherent engineered structures (containing domain states of different free energy) are also given.

Keywords:

• Domain engineering
• coherent domain configurations
• average material properties of multidomain crystals

PACS:

• 61.50-f
• 77.84.Dy

Acknowledgments

This work was done within the project AVOZ1-010-914 of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. Financial support was provided by the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic under grants 202/04/0992, 202/02/1006 and by Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic under a project MCM242200002.

Notes

^a DC's will have minimal free energy if P ⁽¹⁾ ₃ > P ⁽¹⁾ ₁ > 0.

^b DC's will have minimal free energy if P ⁽¹⁾ ₁ > P ⁽¹⁾ ₃ > 0.

^c DC's will not have minimal free energy in the specified field.