Subcoercive Cyclic Electrical Loading of Lead Zirconate Titanate Ceramics II: Time-Resolved X-Ray Diffraction

Structural changes such as non-180 degrees domain wall motion and lattice strains in Pb(Zr, Ti)O-3 ceramics are measured during the application of subcoercive cyclic electric fields using time-resolved high-energy X-ray diffraction with a stroboscopic data collection technique. The contributions to the electric-field-induced strains from non-180 degrees domain wall motion and lattice distortions are determined as a function of material composition and type of dopant. For the different compositions studied, the largest strains due to non-180 degrees domain wall motion are measured for La-doped tetragonal ceramics with a composition close to the morphotropic phase boundary. It is further observed that strain contributions from both non-180 degrees domain wall motion and lattice distortions can be nonlinear with respect to the applied electric field. The correlation between the electric-field-induced structural changes and the macroscopic piezoelectric properties is discussed.