Domain size dependence of d33 piezoelectric properties for barium titanate single crystals with engineered domain configurations

Engineered domain configuration was induced into barium titanate (BaTiO3) single crystals, and the d33 piezoelectricity was investigated as a function of domain size. First, for the BaTiO3 single-domain crystals, piezoelectric constant d33 along [1 1 1]c direction was calculated as 224 pC/N. Prior to the domain engineering, the dependence of domain configuration on the temperature and the electric-field was investigated, and above Curie temperature (Tc), when the electric-field over 6 kV/cm was applied along [1 1 1]c direction, the fine engineered domain configuration appeared. On the basis of the above information, the 33 resonators with different domain sizes were successfully prepared. Their piezoelectric measurement revealed that the d33 of the 33 resonators with fine engineered domain configurations was higher than that of BaTiO3 single-domain crystals. Moreover, d33 increased with decreasing domain sizes. The highest d33 of 289 pC/N was obtained in the BaTiO3 crystal with a domain size of 13 μm.