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Abstract
Acoustic emission associated with the polarization switching in ferroelectric ceramics is investigated. Under bipolar ac electric field driving, whereby ferroelectric ceramics undergo a transition between the macroscopically poled and depoled states, the acoustic emission signal is large in the poled state and small in the depoled state. Under unipolar electric field driving, whereby a prepoled ferroelectric ceramic sample does not experience a macroscopic polarization reversal, the acoustic emission signal obtains the maximum amplitude at an intermediate polarization level. Furthermore, the acoustic emission signal decreases as the induced ferroelectric polarization decreases after ferroelectric fatigue. These phenomena have been interpreted by attributing the AE signal to the elastic energy release associated with the domain switching and the transmission of the elastic waves via a electromechanical coupling.