Electromechanical properties in rhombohedral BiScO3-PbTiO3 single crystals as a function of temperature

Single crystals in the BiScO3-PbTiO3 (BSPT) system were grown using the conventional high temperature solution method. The dielectric, piezoelectric and electromechanical properties along <110> direction were investigated as a function of temperature. The Curie temperature was found to be similar to380degreesC with a rhombohedral-tetragonal phase transformation temperature (TR-T) at 300degreesC. The coercive field for <110> oriented crystals was found to be 15 kV/cm with a piezoelectric coefficient (d(33)) of 650 pC/N. The lateral mode electromechanical coupling factor (k(31)) of <110>/<001> cut was around 75% with a piezoelectric coefficient (d(31)) of -800 pC/N. The dielectric, piezoelectric and electromechanical properties were nearly temperature independent from room temperature to 250degreesC, making BSPT crystals promising for sensor and transducer application.