Domain switching and electromechanical properties variation of Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)–Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)–PbTiO3 ferroelectric crystals under uniaxial compressive stress

The effect of uniaxial compression stress on the phase/domain pattern and the electromechanical performances were investigated for Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)–Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)–PbTiO3 (PIN–PMN–PT) ferroelectric crystals by the polarization/strain vs. electric field and strain vs. uniaxial stress curves measurement. The results showed that (1) uniaxial stress could induce the rotation of polarization from [101]c, [011]c, [−101]c and [0–11]c directions to [110]c, [−110]c, [−1–10]c and [1–10]c directions but no phase transition in orthorhombic (O) phase PIN–PMN–PT crystal; (2) the dielectric and piezoelectric responses of O phase crystal were found to be enhanced by 6.5% and 15% respectively in the region of domain switching due to the increase of free energy instability and polarization mobility induced by uniaxial stress.