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Domain‐Related Phase Transitionlike Behavior in Lead Zinc Niobate Relaxor Ferroelectric Single Crystals
Author(s) -
Mulvihill Maureen L.,
Cross L. Eric,
Cao Wenwu,
Uchino Kenji
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of the american ceramic society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 196
eISSN - 1551-2916
pISSN - 0002-7820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1151-2916.1997.tb03004.x
Subject(s) - materials science , ferroelectricity , electric field , piezoelectricity , dielectric , phase transition , birefringence , lamellar structure , phase diagram , electrostriction , optical microscope , condensed matter physics , phase (matter) , optics , optoelectronics , composite material , chemistry , scanning electron microscope , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
The relaxor ferroelectric lead zinc niobate (Pb(Zn 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 ) has been intensively investigated, because of its large dielectric and piezoelectric properties for applications in actuators and transducers. In this study, the in‐situ behavior of the domains in Pb(Zn 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 single crystals has been observed using optical microscopy in combination with a charge‐coupled device (CCD) camera. The temperature of the sample has been cycled between −185°C and −200°C, while applying an electric field of up to ±10 kV/cm. Many characteristics, such as the induction of birefringence, the transition between the microdomains and macrodomains, and the “freeze‐in” of the macrodomains, have been optically observed. The optical and dielectric data have been collected and plotted as a function of temperature and electric field. An electric‐fieldtemperature diagram showing five domain‐related regions has been proposed. The microdomain‐to‐macrodomain phase transitionlike behavior seems to be an analog of a martensitic phase transition.