Detection of Indentation Induced FE‐to‐AFE Phase Transformation in Lead Zirconate Titanate

Abstract

Instrumented indentation was combined with microscopy and spectroscopy analysis to investigate the local mechanically induced ferroelectric to anti‐ferroelectric phase transformation of niobium‐modified lead zirconate titanate 95/5. Indentation experiments to a depth of 2 μm were performed using a Berkovich pyramidal three‐sided diamond tip. Subsequent Raman spectroscopy and piezoelectric force microscopy revealed that indentation locally induced the ferroelectric to antiferroelectric phase transformation. Piezoelectric force microscopy demonstrated the ability to map the individual phases within and near indented regions on the niobium‐modified lead zirconate titanate ceramics.

A Comparative Study of the Structure and Properties of Sn‐Modified Lead Zirconate Titanate Ferroelectric and Antiferroelectric Ceramics

“…Indentation‐induced ferroelectric‐to‐antiferroelectric phase transformation has recently been observed in a ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate ceramic with a composition close to the ferroelectric/antiferroelectric phase boundary 28 . As the ferroelectric phase in these oxides displays a larger molar volume than the antiferroelectric phase, 23,24,29 this transformation corresponds to a volume contraction and hence undermines the fracture resistance.…”

“…Indentation-induced ferroelectric-to-antiferroelectric phase transformation has recently been observed in a ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate ceramic with a composition close to the ferroelectric/antiferroelectric phase boundary. 28 As the ferroelectric phase in these oxides displays a larger molar volume than the antiferroelectric phase, 23,24,29 this transformation corresponds to a volume contraction and hence undermines the fracture resistance. In the current PNZST 43/12/2 ceramic specimen, the ferroelectric-to-antiferroelectric transformation may not occur as the composition is quite away from the phase boundary (According to He and Tan, 27 the phase boundary at room temperature roughly corresponds to PNZST 43/8/2.).…”

Double hysteresis loops induced by Mn doping in Pb0.99Nb0.02(Zr0.95Ti0.05)0.98O3 ferroelectric ceramics

“…However, the two splitting peaks are incorporated in the PNZTM95/5 ceramics. Being very near to the FE/AFE phase boundary, PNZT95/5 has been known to be in the ferroelectric phase at room temperature [5]. It is reasonable to speculate that the PNZT95/5 and PNZTM95/5 ceramics belong to the ferroelectric phase at room temperature.…”

“…Based on the symmetry-conforming principle of point defects, the domain stabilization is a volume effect in the ferroelectrics [12]. This theory could well explain the differences of the P-E loops between the acceptor doped ferroelectric and the normal ferroelectric [5,12,13]. Ren et al has suggested that in the acceptor element Mn doped BaTiO 3 , the defect ions Mn 3+ and the O 2À vacancies form defect dipoles to pin the migration of ferroelectric dipoles and induce double hysteresis loops [6,12].…”

“…Double hysteresis loops (P-E loops) are an exceptional phenomenon in ferroelectrics (FE), which are often observed in antiferroelectric (AFE) materials such as the Zr-rich Pb(Zr 1Àx Ti x )O 3 (PZT) ceramics because of the neighboring lines polarized in antiparallel directions [1][2][3][4][5]. In the Zr-rich family, Pb(Zr 0.95 Ti 0.05 )O 3 (PZT95/5) near the boundary of FE/AFE is of technological importance due to its wide applications in micro-electromechanical systems and energy storage devices [1][2][3][4].…”