Optically Isotropic and Monoclinic Ferroelectric Phases in PZT Single Crystals near Morphotropic Phase Boundary

Abstract

We report the finding of unusual scale-dependent symmetry below the ferroelectric Curie temperature in the perovskite Pb(Zr1-xTix)O3 single crystals of morphotropic phase boundary compositions. The crystals of tetragonal symmetry (from x-ray diffraction experiments) on sub-micrometer scale exhibit a macroscopic (optically determined) cubic symmetry. This peculiar optical isotropy is explained by the anomalously small size of tetragonal ferroelectric domains. Upon further cooling the crystals transform to the phase consisting of micrometer-sized domains of monoclinic Cm symmetry.

7 pages, 3 figures

References in corpus (5)

• Monoclinic phase in the relaxor-based piezo-/ ferroelectric Pb(Mg${}_{1/3}$Nb${}_{2/3})O_3$-PbTiO${}_3$ system
• Phase diagram of the relaxor ferroelectric (1-x)PbZn(1/3)Nb(2/3)O3-xPbTiO3
• Phase diagram of Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 solid solutions from first principles
• Domain structure in the monoclinic Pm phase of Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3 - PbTiO3 single crystals
• Structural phase transition and dielectric relaxation in Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3 single crystals

Cited by in corpus (2)

• The role of random electric fields in relaxors
• Structural heterogeneity and diffuse scattering in morphotropic lead zirconate-titanate single crystals