0000000000049404
AUTHOR
V. Ya. Shur
Polarization Switching in Heterophase Nanostructures: PLZT Relaxor Ceramics
The polarization switching is experimentally investigated in hot-pressed PLZT-x/65/35 ceramics with a lanthanum content from 5 to 12 at. %. The specific features in the temperature dependence of the polarization switching in a heterophase state are interpreted by analyzing the change in the switched charge measured over wide ranges of fields and temperatures. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of depolarization fields induced by interphase boundaries. A model of the evolution of polydomain nanostructures with a change in the temperature and in the response to an external field is considered. It is assumed that the low-temperature dielectric anomaly and the temperature hysteresis are …
Effect of Penetrating Irradiation on Polarization Reversal in PZT Thin Films
Spatially non-uniform imprint behavior induced by X-ray synchrotron, electron, and neutron irradiation has been investigated in Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 thin films. The obtained effects have been explained as a result of acceleration of the bulk screening process induced by irradiation. It has been shown that the spatial distribution of the internal bias field is determined by the domain pattern existing during irradiation. The microstructural changes in the structural characteristics during fatigue cycling have been revealed by high resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments. Their correlation with the evolution of the switching characteristics has been revealed and discussed.
Effect of surface disorder on the domain structure of PLZT ceramics
ABSTRACTPb1-xLax(Zr0.65Ti0.35)1-x/4O3 (PLZT x/65/35) ceramics were studied by Piezoresponse Force Microscopy in order to understand the origin of domain structure as a function of La content. We show that the domain topology is mainly determined by the composition and grain size. The characteristic correlation length decreases with increasing La content, being sensitive also to the synthesis method. The behavior of the correlation length is linked to the macroscopic properties, showing a strong increase of disorder with La doping. The roughness exponent for the domain wall in PLZT 9/65/35 is close to 2/3 indicating 1D character of domain walls in relaxors.
Field Induced Evolution of Nanoscale Structures in Relaxor PLZT Ceramics
Abstract The kinetics of the nanoscale structures under application of bipolar and unipolar ac field was investigated by recording of the switching charge in wide temperature and field range in hot-pressed relaxor PLZT ceramics. Original analysis of the switching charge data was based on the consideration of the field induced transformation as an evolution of the nanoscale domain structure with nanoscale nonpolar inclusions. We have shown that the inhomogeneous depolarization field produced by the bound charges existing at the interphase boundaries play the key role in spontaneous backswitching effects.
Nanoscale Domain Structure in Relaxor PLZT x/65/35 Ceramics
We present the experimental study of the geometry of the nanoscale domain structure in classical lead zirconate-titanate relaxor ceramics (Pb1 − x La x )(Zr0.65Ti0.35)O3 (PLZT) with La concentration from 5 to 10%. The analysis of the switching current data measured in rectangular pulses indicates the existence of random three-dimensional maze-type domain structure. High-resolution domain visualization performed using Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM) reveals nanoscale domain patterns. The domain structures existing in PLZT ceramics after zero-field-cooling represent the nanoscale quasi-regular maze (“finger-print”). Statistical and fractal analysis of PFM images was performed for quantit…
AC Switching of Relaxor PLZT Ceramics
The switching under application of bipolar ac field is studied by recording of the hysteresis loops in wide temperature and field range in PLZT x/65/35 ceramics. The qualitative difference of the shape of hysteresis loops above and below the freezing temperature is attributed to backswitching in relaxor phase due to the depolarization field produced by the bound charges located at the interphase boundaries. The application of the quasistatic approach to analysis of the experimental data allows us to obtain parameters of the distribution function of local coercive fields from the field dependence of the switching charge derivative on field.
The Cation Sublattice Ordering in the Ferroelectric LiNbO3:Zn Single Crystals
It has been revealed for the first time by Raman spectroscopy that in LiNbO3:Zn crystal with Zn2+ concentration range 0.03–0.94 mol.% the ordering of the main doping cations and vacant octahedrons along the polar axis is better than in the undoped crystal of congruent composition. Thus, the configuration of oxygen octahedrons is closer to ideal. The line widths of the Raman spectra in this concentration range are narrower than in congruent LiNbO3 crystals and closer to the line width in stoichiometric crystals with the best known cation ordering. As far as Zn2+ concentration is small, the growth technique changes very slightly compared to the growth of the pure LiNbO3 crystals.