Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of neodymium oxide doped lead zirconate titanate ceramics

The dielectric and electromechanical properties of lead zirconate titanate [Pb(Zr, Ti)O-3] ceramic added with neodymium oxide have been systematically studied employing the vector impedance spectroscopic (VIS) technique. The specimens were prepared using the mixed oxide route by adding different mol% of Nd2O3 (0.1 to 7 mol%) in [Pb(Zr, Ti)O-3] near morphotropic phase boundary. Piezoelectric equivalent circuit parameters R, L, C-a in series and C-b in parallel have been determined by simulating \Z\ and Theta plots. Electromechanical coupling coefficients and strain constants for the radial modes show a peak at about 3 mol%, the dielectric constant peaks at about 1 mol% and voltage constants peak at about 0.75 mol% of Nd2O3.