Poling field dependence of ferroelectric properties and crystal orientation in rhombohedral lead zirconate titanate ceramics

Rhombohedral lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics were evaluated statically and dynamically to examine the relationship between domain structures and electrical properties. The poling field dependence of the electrical properties and crystal orientation was investigated as a statical evaluation. When the poling field was varied, maximum dielectric constant, minimum planar coupling factor, minimum frequency constant and minimum relative intensity of the X-ray diffraction (222) peak were obtained at the poling fields of ±0.5, ±1.0, ±0.5 and ±0.75kV/mm, respectively. Since 180° domain switching was the dominant factor affecting the coupling factor, it was thought that the electrical domain clamping occurred at ±1.0kV/mm. Furthermore, responses to repeated voltage pulses applied to the ceramics were measured by a high voltage test system as a dynamical evaluation. From these evaluations, we could clarify the domain behavior for the switching and clamping of 180° domain, 71° and 109° domain rotations and transient phenomena on the domain orientation.