Domain switching and creep behavior of a poled PZT wafer under through-thickness electric fields at high temperatures

Various constant magnitudes of through-thickness electric field are applied to a poled PZT wafer for about 1800 s at four different high temperatures. The wafer is then removed swiftly from the field and kept at zero electric field for about 1000 s. During the whole period of nonzero and zero electric field loading time, the electric displacement in thickness direction and the in-plane strain of the wafer are measured over time. The measured responses at different electric fields and temperatures are discussed and compared with one another. The dependence of various linear moduli on remanent quantities and temperature is obtained; the creep responses of the wafer at high temperatures are compared and discussed; and finally the domain-switching processes at different electric fields and temperatures are discussed in terms of reference remanent quantities. (C) 2009 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.