Observation of multiple electrically induced phase transitions and a decoupling of the induced strain and polarization in Sn-modified lead zirconate titanate

Studies of Pb0.98Nb\Sb-0.02[(Zr1-xSnx)(0.97)Ti-3](1-z)O-3 (PZST x/3/2) were performed for 0<x<0.20 by electrically induced polarization and strain methods. Maximum electrically induced strains (epsilon) and polarizations (P) were found in the compositional range around x=0.15, where ferroelectric and antiferroelectric regions coexisted. In addition, these studies demonstrated evidence far two electrically induced phase transitions: (i) an antiferroelectric-ferroelectric near 40 kV/cm, and (ii) a secondary ferroelectric-ferroelectric near 60-80 kV/cm. The dominate contribution to epsilon was associated with the secondary transition, whereas the dominate contribution to P was associated with the first. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.