Assessment of degree of poling in 0–3 piezoelectric composites by X-ray methods

Abstract

This paper describes the use of X-ray pole figures to determine the degree of preferential orientation induced by poling of 0-3 piezoelectric composites. By comparing pole figures and 2θ scans of the same samples, we demonstrate that the pole figure technique is superior to conventional 2θ X-ray scans because it is capable of recording diffraction from many orientations of the sample with respect to the incident X-ray beam instead of just one. Samples poled at higher fields have a greater degree of orientation, as do those with large, multidomain particles. It is also shown that poling of the composites is nonuniform through the thickness of the samples.