Stress and electric field induced phase transformation phenomena in [0 1 1]-poled PZN–PT single crystals of [1 0 0]-length cut

For rhombohedral PZN–(4.5–7)%PT single crystals of [1 0 0]L(A)×[0 1¯ 1]W×[0 1 1]T(P) cut, A and P denoting Active and Poled direction respectively, the applied axial compressive stress in the [1 0 0]-length direction and electric field in the [0 1 1] poling direction aid one another to bring about the rhombohedral-to-orthorhombic (R-O) phase transformation in the crystal. On stress and/or field removal, PZN–(4.5–6)%PT single crystals revert back to the rhombohedral state and the original good properties are retained but not for PZN–7%PT single crystal which remains in the overpoled orthorhombic state with degraded properties. The stress and electric field for the R-O phase transformation, i.e. the ERO–σRO curves, for PZN–4.5%PT, PZN–5.5%PT and PZN–6%PT of said crystal cut are provided which are useful for device design purposes.