Characteristics of the high-field phase transition in pbzr0₃-doped pb(ni_1/3nb_2/3)o₃-pbtio₃ relaxor ferroelectrics

Abstract

Characteristics of the high-field ferroelectric phase transition in PbZrO₃-doped Pb(Ni_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-PbTiO₃(PZ-doped PNN-PT) system were examined across the rhombohedral/tetragonal morphotropic phase boundary (MPB). The thermally depoled (freshly prepared) specimens in the rhombohedral-rich side of the MPB (for PZ > 6 mol %) exhibited a relaxor behavior for the whole range of temperature examined (for T < T_max). However, a micro-macro ferroelectric domain switching was induced by the aging after prepoling (30 kV/cm) at a certain critical temperature below T_max Examination of the field-induced strain indicated the existence of a “fuzzy” transition zone in the high-field electrostrictive properties for both the tetragonal and the rhombohedral regions below T_max The observed “fuzzy” characteristics were then correlated with a possible existence of the dynamic field-induced quasimacrodomains below T_max

Key Words:

• Pb(Ni_1/3Nb₂₁₃)0₃
• PbTiO₃
• relaxor-normal ferroelectric transition
• micromacrodomain switching
• high-field ferroelectric transition
• electromechanical properties.