Face shear piezoelectric properties of relaxor-PbTiO3 single crystals

Poling relaxor-PbTiO3 single crystals along pseudocubic [011] results in a macroscopic symmetry of mm2, enabling a large face shear d(36) in Zt +/- 45 degrees cut crystals. In order to allow the determination of electrical properties by the resonance method, square samples are required. Using Pb (In0.5Nb0.5)O-3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-PbTiO3 crystals, piezoelectric d(36) coefficients were determined to be in the range of 2000-2500 pC/N, with electromechanical coupling factor k(36) similar to 0.80-0.83. Mechanical quality factor Q similar to 180 and ultralow frequency constant of similar to 500 Hz m were obtained. Together with the wide temperature usage range (up to similar to 110 degrees C) and high ac driving field stability (similar to 5 kV/cm), such face shear crystals have a promising potential for ultralow-frequency-transducer applications. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3584851]