Stress-dependent ferroelectric properties of Pb(Zr1/2Ti1/2)O3-Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3 ceramic systems

Effects of compressive stress on the ferroelectric properties of ceramics in PZT-PZN systems were investigated. (1 − x)Pb(Zr1/2Ti1/2)O3(xPb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3 or (1 − x)PZT-(x)PZN (x = 0.1-0.5) ceramics were prepared by a conventional mixed-oxide method. The ferroelectric properties under compressive stress of the PZT-PZN ceramics were observed at stress levels up to 170 MPa using a compressometer in conjunction with a modified Sawyer-Tower circuit. It was found that with increasing compressive stress the area of the ferroelectric hysteresis (P-E) loops, the saturation polarization (Psat), the remanent polarization (Pr), and the coercive field (Ec) decreased. These results were interpreted through the non-180° ferroelectric domain switching processes.