Subcoercive cyclic electrical loading of lead zirconate titanate ceramics II: Time-resolved X-Ray diffraction

Structural changes such as non-180° domain wall motion and lattice strains in Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ ceramics are measured during the application of subcoercive cyclic electric fields using time-resolved high-energy X-ray diffraction with a stroboscopic data collection technique. The contributions to the electric-field-induced strains from non-180° domain wall motion and lattice distortions are determined as a function of material composition and type of dopant. For the different compositions studied, the largest strains due to non-180° domain wall motion are measured for La-doped tetragonal ceramics with a composition close to the morphotropic phase boundary. It is further observed that strain contributions from both non-180° domain wall motion and lattice distortions can be nonlinear with respect to the applied electric field. The correlation between the electric-field-induced structural changes and the macroscopic piezoelectric properties is discussed. © 2009 The American Ceramic Society.