Electric-Field Induced Domain Switching in the Tetragonal PMN-PT Based Ceramic Relaxor

Abstract

The reversal dielectric permittivity of the ceramic 0.0982PZN-0.4541PMN-0.1477PNN-0.3PT solid solution shows the anomalous behavior under the varying electric bias field. The responsible physical mechanisms are analyzed with the use of X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscope methods. It is found that the dielectric anomaly is accompanied by field-induced phase transition from the mixed to the pure tetragonal phase. Also, the considerable strain of tetragonal unit cell (0.1%), followed by the termination of 90° domain switching, is observed. Growth of the tetragonal polar regions and domain switching are considered to be responsible for the observed dielectric anomaly.

Keywords:

• Relaxors
• phase transition
• dielectric anomaly
• X-ray diffraction
• atomic force microscopy

Acknowledgments

The authors thank V.P. Sakhnenko and A.N. Rybyanets for helpful discussions. Work was done at the financial support of the State Contract No. 16.513.11.3032 and Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant No. 11-02-00484a).