Pressure-induced rotation of spontaneous polarization in monoclinic and triclinic PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 -: art. no. 024112

The morphotropic composition of lead zirconate titanate (PZT), PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3, was studied as a function of temperature (47-310 K) and hydrostatic pressure (from 0.1 MPa to 7.6 GPa) by neutron powder diffraction. Series of monoclinic (space groups Cm and Cc) and triclinic phases (space groups F1 and F (1) over bar) were observed at various points in the P-T phase diagram of PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3. The high-pressure behavior is characterized by two mechanisms, a rotation and reduction of the spontaneous polarization and the onset of octahedral tilting leading to unit cell doubling. The results show that pressure, as in the case of temperature and external electric fields, can induce polarization rotation.