Exploring the morphotropic phase boundary in copper(II)-modified Pb[Zr0.54Ti0.46]O-3 ferroelectrics

Copper(II)-doped Pb[Zr0.54Ti0.46]O-3 (PZT) ferroelectrics with a dopant concentration of 0.25 mol% were investigated at high magnetic fields, enabling an enhanced resolution of the structural distortion at the dopant site. The results obtained suggest that Cu2+ stop substitutes as an acceptor centre for [Zr,Ti](4+) in oxygen octahedra with tetragonal, monoclinic and rhombohedral distortion, confirming the model of mesoscopic mixing at the morphotropic phase boundary.