The influence of domain structure on the optical and electrical properties of transparent (Pb,La)(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 ceramics

Transparent (Pb,La)(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 (PLMNT) ceramics were prepared by two stage sintering method. Two different domain structures were formed in PLMNT transparent ceramics with the same composition by changing the cooling rate. Large strip-like domain structure was formed in rapidly-cooled samples, while fine fingerprint-type domain structure was formed in slowly-cooled samples. The large domain structure in transparent PLMNT ceramics caused light scattering and decreased the transmittance. The cut-off wavelength was also red-shifted for PLMNT ceramics with large domain structure, which was attributed to the inner stress in the ceramics. PLMNT ceramics with different domain structures showed different electrical properties: Compared with PLMNT ceramics with large domain structure, PLMNT ceramics with fine domain structure had smaller coercive field, larger electric field induced strain and lower freezing temperature (TVF).