PSmT Ceramic Fibers for High Frequency Transducer Applications

Samarium and manganese doped lead titanate (PSmT) ceramic fibers with diameters of 35–75 μm have been prepared using a sol-gel method. The effects of hydrolysis, pyrolysis and sintering on the fiber fabrication have been studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) study shows that the fibers have a pure perovskite structure with a high c/a = 1.043. Scanning electron microscopy investigations show that the grain size of the fiber increases as the annealing temperature increases. A single PSmT fiber has been poled and its electrical impedance measured.

Keywords:

• Samarium and manganese doped lead titanate
• ceramic fiber
• sol-gel method

Acknowledgments

Financial supports from the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (PolyU 5190/99P) and the Centre for Smart Materials of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University are acknowledged.

Paper originally presented at AMF-4, Bangalore, India, December 12–15, 2003