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Piezoelectric composites, which consist of piezoelectric materials and polymers, are widely employed in various applications such as underwater sonar transducers and medical diagnostic ultrasonic transducers. Acoustic transducers based on piezoelectric composites can have high sensitivity with broad bandwidth. In recent studies, it is demonstrated that 2-2 composites based on single crystals provide further increased sensitivity and wide bandwidth. In order to utilize a 2-2 composite in acoustic sensors, it is required to demonstrate the full material coefficients of the 2-2 composite. In this study, we investigated an analytic solution for determining equivalent material coefficients of a 2-2 composite. Impedance spectrums of the single-phase resonators with equivalent material coefficients and 2-2 composite resonators were compared by the finite element method in order to verify the analytic solutions. Furthermore, the equivalent material coefficients derived from the analytic solution were also verified by comparing the measured and the simulated impedance spectrums. The difference in resonance and anti-resonance frequencies between the measured and simulated impedance spectrums was around 0.5% and 1.2%. By utilizing the analytic solutions in this study, it is possible to accurately derive full equivalent material coefficients of a 2-2 composite, which are essential for the development of acoustic sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relaxor ferroelectric single crystals have important applications in medical ultrasound transducers, hydroacoustic devices and other fields due to their excellent piezoelectric properties. The relaxor ferroelectric single crystals grown by the Bridgman method inevitably suffers from component segregation, resulting in extremely low utilization. In this work, the variation of piezoelectric coefficient (d33) and dielectric constant (ε33 T / ε0) of 0. 24PIN-0. 46PMN-0. 30PT ferroelectric single crystals along the growth direction were tested. The results show that d33 and ε33 T / ε0 are extremely variable along the growth direction, with less than 20 mm of the region maintaining close performance. Polarization modulations were applied in different regions with close ferroelectric-ferroelectric phase transition temperatures through different polarization designing. The d33 and ε33 T / ε0 of more than 60% region of the crystalline maintain in the range of (1 500 ± 140) pC·N-1 and 4 900 ± 350, respectively. In order to verify the consistency of the resonance peaks of the crystal after polarization modulation, the resonance spectra of the k33 vibrators in the two end regions were tested. The results show that the electromechanical coupling coefficients are close to each other, and the peak positions of resonance and anti-resonance are also close to each other. Importantly, there don't exist additional spurious-mode vibrations. These demonstrate the feasibility of employing polarization modulation to regulate the uniformity of the PIN-PMN-PT ferroelectric single crystals along the growth direction. This work provides a reference solution to improve the utilization of PIN-PMN-PT ferroelectric single crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, relaxor ferroelectric single crystals have attracted people's attention and research because of their excellent piezoelectric properties at morphotropic phase boundary(MPB). The ternary system Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O 3 -Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O 3 -PbTiO 3 (PIN-PMN-PT) crystals have higher Curie temperature and coercive field, which have the opportunity to be applied in high-temperature devices. The crystals of the rhombohedral phase have better stability, but their performance is not as good as that of the MPB component crystals. In this paper, the piezoelectric properties of rhombohedral PIN-PMN-28PT single crystals are improved by Sm3+ doping. The piezoelectric coefficient d 33 after AC polarization along [001] direction can reach 3125pC/N, which is 60% higher than that of undoped crystals. Meanwhile, the crystal exhibits excellent optical performance after DC polarization along [110] direction. The crystal has an effective electro-optic coefficient of 386 pm/V at room temperature and a stable frequency-dependent characteristic, which is expected to be an ideal material for electro-optic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

0.32Pb(In 1/2 Nb 1/2)O 3 -0.335Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3)O 3 -0.345PbTiO 3 single crystals were successfully grown by a solid-state crystal growth (SSCG) method through precise control of the key growth parameters. The effects of the sintering temperature and the soaking time on the growth of the PIN-PMN-PT single crystals were investigated. The growth distance is up to 1069 µm for [110]-oriented PIN-PMN-PT single crystal grown at 1150 °C for 50 h. The microstructure, crystal structure and dielectric, ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties were systematically investigated for the SSCG-grown [110]-oriented PIN-PMN-PT single crystals. The [110]-oriented PIN-PMN-PT single crystals exhibit high piezoelectric properties (d 33 ∼ 1041pC/N, d 33 * ∼ 1024 pm/V), Curie temperature (T C ∼ 250 °C) and ferroelectric properties (E C ∼ 8.4 kV/cm and P r ∼33 μC/cm2). Further, the [001]-oriented single crystals also possess outstanding piezoelectric properties (d 33 ∼ 1004pC/N, d 33 * ∼ 1203 pm/V), Curie temperature (T C ∼ 266 °C) and ferroelectric properties (E C ∼ 9.7 kV/cm and P r ∼36 μC/cm2), which are much superior to those of counterpart ceramics.This work opens the door of growth of PIN-PMN-PT single crystals by SSCG method and the SSCG-grown PIN-PMN-PT single crystals are very promising candidates for high performance electromechanical devices with wide temperature and electric field application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relaxor ferroelectric single crystal Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3–Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 (PIN–PMN–PT) has received extensive research and attention due to its excellent piezoelectric, electromechanical, and other properties. In particular, tetragonal relaxor ferroelectric single crystals have shown greater application potential in high‐temperature devices due to their higher Curie temperature and better stability. However, the low piezoelectric performance of tetragonal crystals also greatly limits its application, and research on its optical properties is not sufficient. In this paper, the tetragonal phase Sm–PIN–PMN–PT single crystal was obtained by the Bridgman method, and its piezoelectric and electro‐optical properties are studied. At the same time, we gave a complete set of piezoelectric, dielectric, and elastic coefficient matrices. The results show that the crystal has excellent piezoelectric and electromechanical properties. The piezoelectric coefficient can reach 905pC/N, the electromechanical coupling coefficient k33 is 85%, and the kt is 72%. The transmittance of the sample polarized along [001] direction can reach 66%. The effective electro‐optical coefficient γc is 60 pm/V at room temperature and can reach 86 pm/V at 70°C. It has a wide operating temperature range and stable performance with frequency variation, which has certain reference significance for application in new electro‐optical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezoelectric composites, which consist of piezoelectric materials and polymers, are widely employed in various applications such as underwater sonar transducers and medical diagnostic ultrasonic transducers. Acoustic transducers based on piezoelectric composites can have high sensitivity with broad bandwidth. In recent studies, it is demonstrated that 2-2 composites based on single crystals provide further increased sensitivity and wide bandwidth. In order to utilize a 2-2 composite in acoustic sensors, it is required to demonstrate the full material coefficients of the 2-2 composite. In this study, we investigated an analytic solution for determining equivalent material coefficients of a 2-2 composite. Impedance spectrums of the single-phase resonators with equivalent material coefficients and 2-2 composite resonators were compared by the finite element method in order to verify the analytic solutions. Furthermore, the equivalent material coefficients derived from the analytic solution were also verified by comparing the measured and the simulated impedance spectrums. The difference in resonance and anti-resonance frequencies between the measured and simulated impedance spectrums was around 0.5% and 1.2%. By utilizing the analytic solutions in this study, it is possible to accurately derive full equivalent material coefficients of a 2-2 composite, which are essential for the development of acoustic sensors.

Relaxor ferroelectrics play a vital role as functional components in electromechanical devices. The observation of micro-scale domain structure evolution under electric bias in relaxor ferroelectrics has posed challenges due to their complex domain morphology characterized by small-sized domains. The present study aims to investigate the dielectric diffusion–relaxation characteristics, domain structure, and domain switching evolution under electric bias in high-performance single crystals of Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-33PbTiO3. The findings reveal the presence of strip-like domain patterns that interlock irregular small-sized nanodomains in PIN-PMN-33PT single crystals. Furthermore, the sample undergoes three distinct stages under electric bias, including the nucleation of new domains, the gradual forward expansion of domains, and the lateral expansion of domains. These observations provide valuable insights for understanding and exploring domain engineering techniques in relaxor ferroelectrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabrication of the optical waveguide is essential for the application of high-performance relaxor ferroelectric single crystals in broadband integrated electro-optic devices. Here, a multimode titanium in-diffusion planar waveguide is demonstrated in a rhombohedral phase Pb(In 1/2 Nb 2/3)O 3 –Pb(In 1/2 Nb 2/3)O 3 –PbTiO 3 (PIN-PMN-PT) single crystal. Influences of titanium in-diffusion on the crystalline phase and composition were carefully studied. Guided modes in the planar waveguide were characterized by prism couple measurements. Using the inverse Wentzel-Krames-Brillouin method, the refractive index profile in the waveguide was constructed. The results show that the PIN-PMN-PT crystal retains its single crystal structure and excellent electro-optic response after titanium in-diffusion. The mode refractive index change between the diffused layer and substrate crystal is approximately 3%, which is sufficient to constrain the energy of transmitted light. Moreover, the titanium-diffused PIN-PMN-PT waveguide is confirmed to be a graded optical waveguide with a Gaussian index profile. Our work indicates that the titanium in-diffusion is a feasible way to fabricate waveguides in PIN-PMN-PT crystals, which is of great significance for their application in integrated photonic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last two decades, PT‐based relaxor ferroelectric crystals such as (1−x)Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3–xPbTiO3 (PZN–PT), (1−x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–xPbTiO3 (PMN–PT), and (1−x−y)Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3–yPb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–xPbTiO3 (PIN–PMN–PT or PIMNT) crystals, are widely studied due to their huge piezoelectric properties and super‐high electro‐mechanical coupling factors. They have excellent properties with compositions around the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB). It is gratifying that the PT‐based relaxor crystals are replacing traditional PZT piezo‐ceramics in many application fields. Most ferroelectrics with oxygen‐octahedral structure, which show outstanding electro‐mechanical properties, also have excellent optical performances. Ferroelectric single crystals with large electro‐optic (EO) modulation are widely applied in laser communication devices. For the practical applications, the knowledge of detailed optical parameters is desirable. This paper tries to show a global review on the optical properties of PT‐based relaxor ferroelectric crystals. In the present review, optical properties of the crystals are systematically summarized, including refractive index dispersion, transmittance, band gap, EO, acousto‐optic, and photorefractive properties. These properties change with the crystal composition, orientation, and poling condition. The purpose of the review is to provide a resource for the researchers who are concerned with basic physical investigation or optical device applications of the PT‐based relaxor ferroelectric crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezoelectric composites, which consist of a piezoelectric material and a polymer, have been extensively studied for the applications of underwater sonar sensors and medical diagnostic ultrasonic transducers. Acoustic sensors utilizing piezoelectric composites can have a high sensitivity and wide bandwidth because of their high piezoelectric coefficient and low acoustic impedance compared to single-phase piezoelectric materials. In this study, a thickness-mode driving hydrophone utilizing a 2-2 piezoelectric single crystal composite was examined. From the theoretical and numerical analysis, material properties that determine the bandwidth and sensitivity of the thickness-mode piezoelectric plate were derived, and the voltage sensitivity of piezoelectric plates with various configurations was compared. It was shown that the 2-2 composite with [011] poled single crystals and epoxy polymers can provide high sensitivity and wide bandwidth when used for hydrophones with a thickness resonance mode. The hydrophone element was designed and fabricated to have a thickness mode at a frequency around 220 kHz by attaching a composite plate of quarter-wavelength thickness to a hard baffle. The fabricated hydrophone demonstrated an open circuit voltage sensitivity of more than −180 dB re 1 V/μPa at the resonance frequency and a −3 dB bandwidth of more than 55 kHz. The theoretical and experimental studies show that the 2-2 single crystal composite can have a high sensitivity and wide bandwidth compared to other configurations of piezoelectric elements when they are used for thickness-mode hydrophones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domain switching coupled with polarization reorientation allows ferroelectrics to exhibit high potential for use in nonvolatile memories, electro-optic devices, and nanoelectronics. Although several studies have elucidated domain switching, the research on switching dynamics of complex nanoscale domain structures in relaxor-based ferroelectric materials has been lacking. Herein, the domain structure and domain switching dynamics in tetragonal PIMN-PT single crystals were systemically studied via piezoresponse force microscopy. An interlocking multi-type domain pattern comprising irregular 180° ferroelectric domains and regular 90° ferroelastic domains was observed and its formation mechanism was explored. Different domain switching dynamics of field-dependent responses were investigated. The results indicate that T-phase PIMN-PT single crystals exhibit a hierarchical domain switching process. Under a low electrical-bias stimuli (<10 V), the nucleation and growth of 180° domains dominate the switching process. By increasing the electrical bias from 10 V to 80 V, 90° domain switching was gradually completed and the sample achieved a single-domain state. The nucleation and growth mechanism of ferroelectric domains under electrical-bias stimuli were also discussed. Overall, our results deepened the understanding of ferroelectric switching in complex nanoscale domain structures and facilitate the use of precise domain tailoring technology for fabricating T-phase relaxor-based ferroelectric single crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relaxor-based ternary Pb( In 1 / 2 Nb 1 / 2 )O3–Pb( Mg 1 / 3 Nb 2 / 3 )O3–PbTiO3 (PIN–PMN–PT) single crystals and ceramics are promising candidates for high-performance electromechanical conversion devices. It is known that the domain structure and dielectric diffusion–relaxation characteristics are crucial to the excellent performances of relaxor ferroelectrics. In this work, we prepared the PIN–PMN–PT ceramics with various PIN/PMN proportions and systematically investigated their domain structure and dielectric diffusion–relaxation properties. The effect of PIN/PMN proportion on the domain size and dielectric diffusion–relaxation characteristics was also studied. The investigations showed that PIN–PMN–PT ceramics presented multi-type domain patterns comprising irregular island domains and regular lamellar domains. Moreover, the dependent relations of PIN/PMN proportions on the dielectric diffusion and domain size indicated that the PIN composition has a stronger lattice distortion than PMN composition; increasing the PIN proportion can enhance the dielectric diffusion and decrease the domain size. Our results could deepen the understanding of structure–property relationships of multicomponent relaxor ferroelectrics and guide the design and exploration of new high-performance ferroelectric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relaxor-based ternary Pb([Formula: see text][Formula: see text])O3–Pb([Formula: see text][Formula: see text])O3–PbTiO3 (PIN–PMN–PT) single crystals and ceramics are promising candidates for high-performance electromechanical conversion devices. It is known that the domain structure and dielectric diffusion–relaxation characteristics are crucial to the excellent performances of relaxor ferroelectrics. In this work, we prepared the PIN–PMN–PT ceramics with various PIN/PMN proportions and systematically investigated their domain structure and dielectric diffusion–relaxation properties. The effect of PIN/PMN proportion on the domain size and dielectric diffusion–relaxation characteristics was also studied. The investigations showed that PIN–PMN–PT ceramics presented multi-type domain patterns comprising irregular island domains and regular lamellar domains. Moreover, the dependent relations of PIN/PMN proportions on the dielectric diffusion and domain size indicated that the PIN composition has a stronger lattice distortion than PMN composition; increasing the PIN proportion can enhance the dielectric diffusion and decrease the domain size. Our results could deepen the understanding of structure–property relationships of multicomponent relaxor ferroelectrics and guide the design and exploration of new high-performance ferroelectric materials.

Relaxor ferroelectrics play a vital role as functional components in electromechanical devices. The observation of micro-scale domain structure evolution under electric bias in relaxor ferroelectrics has posed challenges due to their complex domain morphology characterized by small-sized domains. The present study aims to investigate the dielectric diffusion–relaxation characteristics, domain structure, and domain switching evolution under electric bias in high-performance single crystals of Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-33PbTiO3. The findings reveal the presence of strip-like domain patterns that interlock irregular small-sized nanodomains in PIN-PMN-33PT single crystals. Furthermore, the sample undergoes three distinct stages under electric bias, including the nucleation of new domains, the gradual forward expansion of domains, and the lateral expansion of domains. These observations provide valuable insights for understanding and exploring domain engineering techniques in relaxor ferroelectrics.

xPb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-(1−x−y)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3−yPbTiO3 (PIN–PMN–PT) bulks possess excellent electromechanical coupling and dielectric properties, but the corresponding epitaxial PIN–PMN–PT thin films have not yet been explored. This paper adopts a nonlinear thermodynamics analysis to investigate the influences of misfit strains on the phase structures, electromechanical properties, and electrocaloric responses in epitaxial PIN–PMN–PT thin films. The misfit strain–temperature phase diagram was constructed. The results reveal that the PIN–PMN–PT thin films may exist in tetragonal c-, orthorhombic aa-, monoclinic M-, and paraelectric PE phases. It is also found that the c-M and aa-PE phase boundaries exhibit a superior dielectric constant ε 11 which reached 1.979 × 106 with um = −0.494%, as well as the c-M phase boundary showing a large piezoelectric response d15 which reached 1.64 × 105 pm/V. In comparison, the c-PE and M-aa phase boundaries exhibit a superior dielectric constant ε33 over 1 × 105 around um = 0.316% and the piezoelectric response d33 reached 7235 pm/V. The large electrocaloric responses appear near the paraelectric- ferroelectric phase boundary. These insights offer a guidance for experiments in epitaxial PIN–PMN–PT thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mn-doped Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (Mn:PIN-PMN-PT) single crystals are attractive piezoelectric materials owing to their high mechanical quality factor. However, the single crystal boules grown by the conventional Bridgman method show compositional variation along the growth direction. In particular, the Mn content exhibits large variation due to its severe segregation. To improve the compositional uniformity, we applied the continuous-feeding Bridgman method to the growth of a Mn:PIN-PMN-PT single crystal boule. Then, the composition and property distributions of the boule along the growth direction were evaluated. The results showed that excellent composition and property uniformity were carried out over 80mm in boule length. The ranges of the electromechanical coupling coefficient (k33) and the piezoelectric coefficient (d33) were 0.931–0.934 and 1352–1517 pC/N, respectively. The ranges of the mechanical quality factor (Qm31) and the depolarization field (Ed) were 417–535 and 785–859 V/mm, respectively. The Qm31 and the Ed values were higher than those of the non-doped PIN-PMN-PT single crystals. The continuous-feeding Bridgman method is therefore an effective technique for improving the uniformity of the Mn content. As a result, the Mn:PIN-PMN-PT single crystal grown by the continuous-feeding Bridgman method possesses excellent property uniformity with characteristics suitable for high power piezoelectric applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser scanners with mechanically driven mirrors have exhibited increasing potential for various applications, such as displays and laser radar. Resonant scanners are the predominantly used scanners; however, non-resonant scanners are required for applications where point-to-point driving is desirable. Because a non-resonant drive cannot amplify the drive angle owing to the resonance phenomenon, high values are difficult to achieve for the main performance metrics of the scanners: mirror area, drive angle, and operating frequency. In this paper, we present a two-axis scanner with a piezoelectric actuator made of a piezoelectric single-crystal Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 as the actuation force source. The scanner contains a circular mirror with a diameter of 7 mm and achieves an average static mechanical deflection angle amplitude of 20.8° in two axes with a resonant frequency of 559 Hz. It is equipped with a transmission mechanism that can decouple each axis to achieve high linearity; in our study, the nonlinearity error was less than 1°. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of temperature and electric field on phase transitions, dielectric relaxation behavior, and macroscopic electrical performances of Pb(In 1/2 Nb 1/2)O 3 -0.49 Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3)O 3 -0.27PbTiO 3 (PIMNT27) single crystals were studied. The nanosized domains of unpoled crystals and the engineered domains of DC electric field poled crystals were intuitively recorded by piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). The distribution of nanosized domains with different sizes and patterns induced by domain switching and domain wall motion under different poling fields and temperatures were also studied to understand the effect of nanosized domains on phase transitions, piezoelectric, and electromechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using composition designing, Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (PIN-PMN-PT) ceramics with compositions around the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) were prepared by the solid-state reaction method via the columbite and wolframite precursor techniques. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement and XRD peaks fitting combined with electrical performance characterization confirm the occurrence of composition-induced ferroelectric phase change, and the sintered PIN-PMN-PT ceramics present the coexistence of rhombohedral and tetragonal ferroelectric phases. Composition exerts great influence on the relative density of the sintered ceramics, and the 0.28Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-0.40Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.32PbTiO3 (0.28PIN-0.40PMN-0.32PT) ceramics exhibit rather uniform microstructural morphology with high relative density of 94.4%. Dielectric, ferroelectric, and piezoelectric performance characterization also confirm the existence of the MPB effects, where the composition having performance maximum presents slight difference, proving that MPB has the composition region. Dielectric response behavior fitting and Raman spectroscopy measurement confirm the PIN-PMN-PT ceramics approach normal ferroelectrics with apparent diffusive transition characteristic and the occurrence of composition-induced ferroelectric phase change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevating both the mechanical quality factor and piezoelectric properties is pivotal for enhancing the efficiency of high-power piezoelectric devices. Mn-doped Pb (In 1/2 Nb 1/2) O 3 -Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3) O 3 -PbTiO 3 (Mn: PIN-PMN-PT) single crystals have previously exhibited a notable mechanical quality factor, yet encountered a substantial decline in piezoelectric coefficient. In pursuit of the concurrent optimization of these parameters, we explored the co-enhancement of mechanical quality factor and piezoelectric coefficient in [001]-oriented Mn: PIN-PMN-PT single crystals by employing a synergistic approach (DCP-ACP) involving direct-current poling (DCP) and alternating-current poling (ACP). Our investigation reveals a remarkable improvement, with the piezoelectric coefficient and mechanical quality factor experiencing a notable surge of 53% and 118%, respectively, compared to the outcomes achieved with DCP alone. Compared to the ACP method, the piezoelectric coefficient and the mechanical quality factor were improved more than 7% and 18%, respectively. Moreover, the coercive field and remnant polarization of the single crystals witnessed a substantial upswing post DCP-ACP. The results are attributed to the elimination of the 71° domain walls, as observed through polarized light microscopy. Here we demonstrate Mn: PIN-PMN-PT single crystals are expected to has high mechanical quality factor and strong piezoelectric constants through DCP-ACP, thus suggesting a new route to high performance ferroelectrics. • The DCP-ACP offer a unique capability to enhance both the mechanical quality factor and piezoelectric coefficient of Mn: PIN-PMN-PT simultaneously. • The elimination of 71° domains after DCP-ACP is the main reason for the enhanced piezoelectric properties of single crystals. • Mn: PIN-PMN-PT single crystals exhibit excellent performances, such as coercive field (5.2~6.5 kV·cm-1), remnant polarization (26.3~27.9 uC·cm-2) and phase transition temperature (119~131 ℃). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Mn-doped Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (Mn:PIN-PMN-PT) single crystals are attractive piezoelectric materials owing to their high mechanical quality factor. However, the single crystal boules grown by the conventional Bridgman method show compositional variation along the growth direction. In particular, the Mn content exhibits large variation due to its severe segregation. To improve the compositional uniformity, we applied the continuous-feeding Bridgman method to the growth of a Mn:PIN-PMN-PT single crystal boule. Then, the composition and property distributions of the boule along the growth direction were evaluated. The results showed that excellent composition and property uniformity were carried out over 80mm in boule length. The ranges of the electromechanical coupling coefficient (k33) and the piezoelectric coefficient (d33) were 0.931–0.934 and 1352–1517 pC/N, respectively. The ranges of the mechanical quality factor (Qm31) and the depolarization field (Ed) were 417–535 and 785–859 V/mm, respectively. The Qm31 and the Ed values were higher than those of the non-doped PIN-PMN-PT single crystals. The continuous-feeding Bridgman method is therefore an effective technique for improving the uniformity of the Mn content. As a result, the Mn:PIN-PMN-PT single crystal grown by the continuous-feeding Bridgman method possesses excellent property uniformity with characteristics suitable for high power piezoelectric applications.

Due to the good dielectric, piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties, the pseudo-ternary ferroelectric single crystals Pb(In 1/2 Nb 1/2)O 3 -Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3)O 3 -PbTiO 3 (PIN-PMN-PT) have been widely concerned and studied. In this study we found that the dynamic hysteresis loop area with electric field E 0 and frequency f 0 of the 0.16 Pb(In 1/2 Nb 1/2)O 3 -0.62 Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3)O 3 -0.22PbTiO 3 (0.16PIN-0.62PMN-0.22 PT) single crystals satisfies the relational equation ∝ E 0 βf 0 α. In the ∝ E 0 β relationship, both linear stages are found correlated with the low electric field in the first stage E 0 3E c. The hysteresis loop area with frequency f 0 relationship satisfies the equation ∝ f 0 α with roughly linear trend and the hysteresis loop area decreases with increasing frequency f 0. Such electric field dependent dynamic hysteresis scaling can be observed by polarized light microscopy. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

0.28Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-0.40Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.32PbTiO3 ceramics were synthesized by conventional solid-phase method using nano-sized In2O3. All the sintered 0.28PIN-0.40PMN-0.32PT ceramics have pure perovskite structure with composition locating at rhombohedral side around the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) region. The 0.28PIN-0.40PMN-0.32PT ceramics belong to displacive driving ferroelectrics with apparent diffused phase transition characteristic. Although the rhombohedral-tetragonal ferroelectric phase transition temperature (TR-T) increases only to ∼120 °C due to the solid solution of Pb(In1/2Nb1/2) (PIN), the 0.28PIN-0.40PMN-0.32PT ceramics present high piezoelectric thermal stability till around the Curie temperature (Tm), which extremely widens the working temperature range and makes the 0.28PIN-0.40PMN-0.32PT ceramics suitable for high-temperature piezoelectric applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of investigation of thermally induced switching in PIN-PMN-PT single-crystal solid solutions are presented. It was found that samples have the stable unipolarity. The intensity of thermally induced crystal switching processes depends significantly on the direction of the polarizing field or the electric field applied to samples.

Tiled modular 2-D ultrasound arrays have the potential for realizing large apertures for novel diagnostic applications. This work presents an architecture for fabrication of tileable 2-D array modules implemented using 1–3 composites of high-bandwidth (BW) PIN-PMN-PT single-crystal piezoelectric material closely coupled with high-voltage CMOS application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) electronics for buffering and multiplexing functions. The module, which is designed to be operated as a $\lambda $ -pitch 1.75-D array, benefits from an improved electromechanical coupling coefficient and increased Curie temperature and is assembled directly on top of the ASIC silicon substrate using an interposer backing. The interposer consists of a novel 3-D printed acrylic frame that is filled with conducting and acoustically absorbing silver epoxy material. The ASIC comprises a high-voltage switching matrix with locally integrated buffering and is interfaced to a Verasonics Vantage 128, using a local field programmable gate array (FPGA) controller. Multiple prototype $5 \times 6$ element array modules have been fabricated by this process. The combined acoustic array and ASIC module was configured electronically by programming the switches to operate as a 1-D array with elements grouped in elevation for imaging and pulse-echo testing. The resulting array configuration had an average center frequency of 4.55 MHz, azimuthal element pitch of $340~\mu \text{m}$ , and exhibited average −20-dB pulsewidth of 592 ns and average −6-dB fractional BW of 77%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photoluminescence, dielectric relaxation, ferroelectric hysteresis, and field-induced strain properties of Pr3+-doped 0.24Pb(In 1/2 Nb 1/2)O 3 -0.42Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3)O 3 -0.34PbTiO 3 (PIN-PMN-PT:Pr3+) multifunctional ceramics have been investigated. It was found that Pr3+ doping enhanced the dielectric diffuseness and relaxation behavior of PIN-PMN-PT ceramics. Slim P - E loops and S - E curves appear in PIN-PMN-PT:Pr3+ ceramics when the Pr3+ doping concentration reaches 1.4 mol%. Local domain configurations associated with phase transitions were investigated by piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). Large electrostrictive coefficient Q 33 (˜0.03 m4/C2) and high energy-storage efficiency η (92%) were obtained in 2 mol% Pr3+-doped PIN-PMN-PT ceramic in the ergodic relaxor (ER) phase at room temperature. The giant electrostrictive effect and excellent energy-storage performance are related to the field-induced dynamic behavior of polar nanoregions (PNRs). The results show that the PIN-PMN-PT:Pr3+ system is an excellent multifunctional material for making electromechanical and energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dielectric relaxation properties and freezing behavior of polar nanoregions (PNRs) of 0.24Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3‐0.47Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐0.29PbTiO3 single crystals have been studied. The Burns temperature TB, permittivity maximum temperature Tm, and freezing temperature Tf were determined, respectively. It was found that the temperature‐dependent dielectric constant can be well described by the Lorenz‐type relationship in the ergodic phase due to the existence of PNRs. The diffuseness factor δ is >30 and is basically not dependent on crystal orientation. The frequency dependence of Tm obeys the Vogel‐Fulcher relationship. The residual effect of the poling electric field disappears and the remnant polarization has a sharp decrease near the freezing temperature Tf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a modified dice-and-fill technique, a PIN-PMN-PT single crystal 1-3 composite with the kerf of 12 μm and pitch of 50 μm was prepared. The as-made piezoelectric composite material behaved with high piezoelectric constant (d33 = 1500 pC/N), high electromechanical coefficient (kt = 0.81), and low acoustic impedance (16.2 Mrayls). Using lithography and flexible circuit method, a 48-element phased array was successfully fabricated from such a piezoelectric composite. The array element was measured to have a central frequency of 20 MHz and a fractional bandwidth of approximately 77% at −6 dB. Of particular significance was that this PIN-PMN-PT single crystal 1-3 composite-based phased array exhibits a superior insertion loss compared with PMN-PT single crystal and PZT-5H-based 20 MHz phased arrays. The focusing and steering capabilities of the obtained phased array were demonstrated theoretically and experimentally. These promising results indicate that the PIN-PMN-PT single crystal 1-3 composite-based high frequency phased array is a good candidate for ultrasound imaging applications.

Abstract This study addresses pyroelectric power generation through an original electrothermodynamic cycle for environmentally friendly automotive applications. Relaxor-based ternary Pb(In 1/2 Nb 1/2)O 3 -Pb(Mb 1/3 Nb 2/3)O 3 -PbTiO 3 (PIN-PMN-PT) ceramics near a morphotropic phase boundary were applied as pyroelectric materials, and their electrical properties were investigated at different temperatures. Structural disordering, depending on the PIN content, influenced the diffuse phase transition between the tetragonal and cubic structures and contributed to the power-generating behavior. The net power-generating energies (P net) were 2.43–3.01 mW/cm3 at temperatures above 200 °C and were maintained at above 1 mW/cm3 over a temperature range of approximately 100 °C. In the PIN-PMN-PT system, the temperature dependence of the power-generating performance was improved, and disordering of the perovskite crystal structure can be controlled to achieve pyroelectric energy conversion by the electrothermodynamic cycle over a wider range of usage temperatures. Highlights • PIN-PMN-PT ternary ceramics were investigated as pyroelectric materials. • Pyroelectric power generation by a novel electrothermodynamic cycle was examined. • The power-generating behavior was related to the structural ordering of the materials. • Crystal structural disordering of PIN-PMN-PT leads to improved temperature stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domain engineered ferroelectric relaxor-PbTiO 3 single crystals exhibit ultrahigh piezoelectric coefficients. A 10th order Landau-Devonshire energy function for rhombohedral PIN-PMN-PT ferroelectric single crystals was implemented in a phase-field model to study the behavior of domain walls under external electric field. The domain formation and domain wall evolution were simulated. A new way to apply periodic boundary conditions was implemented to accommodate nonzero strain during the domain formation and evolution. It was found that 71 and 109 domain walls reacted differently to external electric field along the [110] direction. A domain wall broadening effect was observed in the 71 domain walls when the electric field was below the coercive field. When the electric field exceeded the coercive field, homogeneous polarization switching occurred with no motion of the 71 domain walls. Heterogeneous polarization switching occurred by the sweeping of the 109 domain walls. The evolution mechanism of the two types of domain walls helps explain the behavior of engineered domain structures subjected to external electric field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead magnesium niobate—lead titanate (PMN-PT) single crystals have been successfully commercialized in medical ultrasound imaging. The superior properties of PMN-PT crystals over the legacy piezoelectric ceramics lead zirconate titanate (PZT) enabled ultrasound transducers with enhanced imaging (broad bandwidth and improved sensitivity). To obtain high quality and relatively low cost single crystals for commercial production, PMN-PT single crystals were grown with modified Bridgman method, by which crystals were grown directly from stoichiometric melt without flux. For ultrasound imaging application, [001] crystal growth is essential to provide uniform composition and property within a crystal plate, which is critical for transducer performance. In addition, improvement in crystal growth technique is under development with the goals of improving the composition homogeneity along crystal growth direction and reducing unit cost of crystals. In recent years, PIN-PMN-PT single crystals have been developed with higher de-poling temperature and coercive field to provide improved thermal and electrical stability for transducer application.

Relaxor-based ferroelectric single crystals Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) have drawn much attention in the ferroelectric field because of their excellent piezoelectric properties and high electromechanical coupling coefficients (d33~2000 pC/N, kt~60%) near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB). Ternary Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (PIN-PMN-PT) single crystals also possess outstanding performance comparable with PMN-PT single crystals, but have higher phase transition temperatures (rhombohedral to tetragonal Trt, and tetragonal to cubic Tc) and larger coercive field Ec. Therefore, these relaxor-based single crystals have been extensively employed for ultrasonic transducer applications. In this paper, an overview of our work and perspectives on using PMN-PT and PIN-PMN-PT single crystals for ultrasonic transducer applications is presented. Various types of single-element ultrasonic transducers, including endoscopic transducers, intravascular transducers, high-frequency and high-temperature transducers fabricated using the PMN-PT and PIN-PMN-PT crystals and their 2-2 and 1-3 composites are reported. Besides, the fabrication and characterization of the array transducers, such as phased array, cylindrical shaped linear array, high-temperature linear array, radial endoscopic array, and annular array, are also addressed.

The phase transition characteristics, dielectric relaxation behavior, and ferroelectric hysteresis in undoped and Mn-doped 0.24Pb(In 1/2 Nb 1/2 )O 3 -0.42Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 -0.34PbTiO 3 (24PIN-42PMN-34PT) ternary ceramics have been investigated. The degree of diffuse phase transition (DPT) is enhanced by the addition of manganese due to the disorder-enhanced structure. The temperature dependence of the dielectric permittivity can be well described by the Lorentz-type quadratic relationship at the temperature range of T m -600 K and Curie-Weiss law at T > 630 K, respectively. In addition, the frequency dispersion of dielectric permittivity is greatly suppressed and hysteresis loops are pinched at room temperature, which is attributed to the internal bias field created by the defect dipoles after introducing Mn ion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domain engineered rhombohedral relaxor ferroelectric single crystals of PIN-PMN-PT near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) have stable domain structures that increase piezoelectric constants and reduce dielectric loss. They also undergo domain switching and phase transformation with temperature and applied field that make modeling the energetics of the domain formation and evolution challenging. In this work a 10th order Landau-Devonshire energy function is developed to describe the dielectric, piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties of PIN-PMN-PT with a composition near the MPB. Coefficients of the energy function were determined based on the results of many experimental measurements. The resulting energy function reproduces temperature induced phase transformations as well as polarization and strain hysteresis loops of domain engineered rhombohedral crystals at multiple temperatures. This energy function is suitable for implementation in a phase field model to further investigate the evolution of engineered rhombohedral domain structures and the energetics associated with other characteristics of rhombohedral PIN-PMN-PT ferroelectric single crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (PIN-PMN-PT) piezoelectric single-crystal rectangular beams with the PIN:PMN:PT ratio of 0.33:0.35:0.32 are prepared, and their mode-coupling effect is investigated both theoretically and experimentally for ultrasonic array transducer applications. The PIN-PMN-PT rectangular beams become a tall-narrow beam and a short-wide plate, and so exhibiting an uncoupled height-extensional (beam) mode and an uncoupled thickness-extensional (plate) mode, at a width-to-height ratio G (= L/H) of <0.7 and >6.0, respectively. With G varying in the range of 1.6 to 3.1, the beam mode not only couples strongly with the width (lateral) mode, but also coexists obviously with the plate mode, giving high electromechanical coupling coefficients k'33 and kt of ~0.75 and ~0.50, respectively. With the guide of the mode-coupling results, a multifrequency ultrasonic array transducer having three distinct operational frequencies of 1.52, 2.60, and 6.01 MHz, corresponding to the coupled/coexistent beam mode, lateral mode, and plate mode, respectively, is developed using a mode-coupled rectangular beam of G = 1.6. Two different single-frequency ultrasonic array transducers, fabricated using two different uncoupled rectangular beams, one operating in uncoupled beam mode with G = 0.6 at 2.24 MHz and one working in uncoupled plate mode with G = 10.0 at 5.75 MHz, are also developed for comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ternary relaxor-based ferroelectric single crystal 0.24Pb(In 1/2 Nb 1/2 )O 3 -0.43Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 -0.33PbTiO 3 (0.24PIN-0.43PMN-0.33 PT) poled along [011] c has single domain state and remarkable optical properties. The temperature dependence of the optical direction energy bandgap for the single crystal coincides with dielectric constant curve at the phase transition points. The variation tendency of the bandgap energies in different phase structures coincide with Varshni equation. The parameters in Varshni equation were obtained from the approximate fitting of the optical bandgap energies, which were calculated at various temperatures from 300 to 540 K. The refractive indices and the extinction coefficients in the single-domain state were obtained. The parameters of room temperature monomial Sellmeier oscillator were also derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CuO modified Pb(In 1/2 Nb 1/2 )O 3 –Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 –PbTiO 3 (PIN–PMN–PT) ternary relaxor based ferroelectrics with the composition near the morphotropic phase boundary were synthesized by two-step columbite precursor method. The introduction of CuO significantly improved the sinterability of PIN–PMN–PT ceramics, resulting in the full densification of samples at lower sintering temperatures. It also profoundly modified the crystal structure and fracture mode of the ceramics. Properly increasing CuO content led to the disappearance of rhombohedral-tetragonal phase transition, remarkably improved the Curie temperature ( T c ), and made the ceramics more relaxorlike. The ternary ceramics doped with 0.25 wt% CuO possessed optimum piezoelectric properties ( d 33 =584 pC/N, d 33 * =948 pC/N, and k p =0.68), high ferroelectric properties ( E c =9.9 kV/cm, and P r =33.1 μC/cm 2 ), low dielectric loss (tan δ =0.9%), and wider temperature usage range ( T c =225 °C). The obtained properties are much higher than those of previously reported PIN–PMN–PT based ceramics, indicating that CuO doped PIN–PMN–PT is a promising candidate for electromechanical applications with high performance and wide temperature/electric field usage ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dielectric relaxation properties of the ternary relaxor-based ferroelectric 0.24Pb(In 1/2 Nb 1/2 )O 3 –0.49Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 –0.27PbTiO 3 single crystal have been investigated as a function of temperature (300–570 K) in the frequency range from 100 Hz to 100 kHz. It was found that the variation of the permittivity maximum temperature T m with frequency obeys the Vogel–Fulcher relationship. The high-temperature ( T > T m ) side of the dielectric permittivity deviated from the Curie–Weiss law, but can be described by the Lorenz-type relationship. The coercive field obtained from the polarization hysteresis loops gradually decreases with increasing temperature, and the remnant polarization persists above T m due to the existence of polar nanoregions (PNRs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroelectric 0.3Pb(In 1/2 Nb 1/2 )O 3 –0.38Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 –0.32PbTiO 3 (PIN–PMN–PT) epitaxial thin films with a perovskite phase were grown on (110)-oriented MgO substrates by sputter deposition method. The structure of the PIN–PMN–PT films was found very sensitive to the growth condition. The single perovskite phase obtained under optimized processing condition was substantially relaxed from lattice-mismatch strain down to at least 11 nm in thickness due to the formation of an ultrathin interfacial layer of twin domains. Compared to other technically important relaxor ferroelectrics such as PMN–PT, the PIN–PMN–PT thin films have a higher Curie temperature and a large coercive field, which are very promising for piezoelectric applications in micro/nano-electromechanical systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, crystal growth and characterization of PIN–PMN–PT (29–59% PIN and 28–35% PT) were conducted to understand how PIN ratio in the PIN–PMN–PT system impacts its phase stability during crystallization. High-quality PIN–PMN–PT crystals with 36% PIN were obtained using the self-seeded Bridgman process, even though the cubic phase In2O3 formed at the very beginning of solidification. The melt became more unstable when the PIN ratio in the PIN–PMN–PT system increased to 49% and above, which affected the composition and quality of the as-grown crystals significantly. By increasing the PIN to 36% in PIN–PMN–PT crystal, the rhombohedral-to-tetragonal phase transition temperatures and the coercive field reached 115–135°C and 4.5~5.6 kV/cm, respectively, that greatly expanded the operation domains compared to PMN–PT crystals.

Binary piezoelectric crystal Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 (PMN–PT) has excellent dielectric and piezoelectric properties, which has led to the commercialization for medical ultrasound imaging. Recently, there is a growing demand for piezoelectric crystals with improved thermal and electrical properties. Ternary piezoelectric crystals Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3–Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 (PIN–PMN–PT) have increased depoling temperature and coercive field than binary PMN–PT. To better understand the ternary crystal system and improve crystal properties, we systematically investigated crystal growth of PIN–PMN–PT with modified Bridgman method. Like PMN–PT, PIN–PMN–PT crystals have excellent piezoelectric properties (e.g., k33 ~ 0.87–0.92, d33 ~ 1000–2200 pm/V). Higher PIN content leads to ~40°C increase in depoling temperature and more than doubling of coercive field(~7.0 kV/cm). Such improvements are advantageous for applications where high temperature and/or high-drive are needed.

Recently, ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) ultrasonic transducers (> 100 MHz) have been widely applied in research fields such as medical diagnostics, nondestructive testing, energy harvesting, and so on, due to their capability of creating high-resolution ultrasonic images and detecting micro-scale defects. To accomplish this, in this study, ternary Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O 3 -Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O 3 -PbTiO 3 (i.e., PIN-PMN-PT) polycrystalline single-phase thin film was fabricated for UHF ultrasonic transducers due to their extraordinary piezoelectric properties and electromechanical coupling coefficients. A tri-layered structure (of 1) aluminum substrate, 2) the PIN-PMN-PT thin film, and 3) a silver electrode) was used to create a PIN-PMN-PT thin film compatible with intense thermal treatment and having low cost. To analyze the performance of the newly developed PIN-PMN-PT thin film, data were collected on its crystallographic and piezoelectric characteristics, fabrication process, analysis of piezoelectric constants, and ultrasonic pulse-echo response waveforms according to different design conditions (various front matching layers, backing materials, and media). These data were provided by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray reflectometry, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and polarization-electric field hysteresis curves. Moreover, pulse-echo simulation was conducted using PiezoCAD software based on the Krimholtz-Leedom-Matthaei model. The results showed that the proposed PIN-PMN-PT thin film exhibited ultrahigh-resonance frequencies of ∼ 500 MHz. Ultimately, it was concluded that the new high-frequency PIN-PMN-PT thin film could be applied in a variety of fields because its performance has been verified. [Display omitted] • A ternary PIN-PMN-PT single crystal-based thin film for ultrahigh-frequency ultrasonic transducers was fabricated. • The performance of the newly developed PIN-PMN-PT thin film was analyzed in various ways to provide its characteristics. • In addition, pulse-echo simulations were conducted based on the Krimholtz-Leedom-Matthaei model for performance evaluation. • The results showed that the proposed PIN-PMN-PT thin film exhibited ultrahigh-resonance frequencies of ∼ 500 MHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent piezoelectric materials are capable of coupling several physical effects such as optics, acoustics, electricity, and mechanical deformation together, which expands applications for mechanical-electro-optical multifunctional devices. However, piezoelectricity, transparency, and Curie temperature restrict each other, so it is difficult to achieve high piezoelectricity with both good transparency and a high Curie point. In this paper, Sm-doped 24Pb(In 1/2 Nb 1/2 )O 3 -42Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 -34PbTiO 3 (PIN-PMN-PT) transparent ceramic with a high piezoelectric coefficient of 905 pC/N, excellent electro-optical coefficient of 814 pm/V, and high Curie-point of 179 °C is fabricated. Sm doping effect on the phase structures, piezoelectricity, ferroelectricity, optical transparency, electro-optical properties, and thermal stability is systematically investigated. Compared with PMN-PT transparent ceramics, PIN-PMN-PT transparent ceramics exhibit better temperature stability. Electro-optical modulation and energy conversion are achieved using PIN-PMN-PT transparent piezoelectric ceramic, which indicates that it has great potential to develop mechanical-electrical-optical multifunctional coupling devices for optical communication, energy harvesting, photoacoustic imaging, and so on.

Relaxor ferroelectric single crystals are used in sonar, medical ultrasound, accelerometers and energy-harvesting applications due to their large electromechanical coupling. In this work, the compositional dependence of the electromechanical properties of [0 1 1] C cut relaxor ferroelectric lead indium niobate–lead magnesium niobate–lead titanate single crystals, x Pb(In 1/2 Nb 1/2 )O 3 –(1- x - y )Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 – y PbTiO 3 (PIN–PMN–PT) was determined. The effect of increasing the concentration of lead indium niobate ( x PIN) and increasing the concentration of lead titanate ( y PT) on compositions near the morphotropic phase boundary was explored. Specimens were subjected to combined electrical, mechanical and thermal loading. The electric field induced changes of polarization and strain were measured at a series of preload stresses and the stress induced polarization and strain changes were measured at a series of bias electric fields. This was repeated at several temperatures. Evidence of a phase transformation from ferroelectric rhombohedral to ferroelectric orthorhombic was observed in the form of jumps in strain and electric displacement at critical field levels. The linear piezoelectric constant, dielectric permittivity, elastic compliance, thermal expansion, pyroelectric coefficient and rate of change of the material properties with temperature were determined including a scalar measure of electromechanical work indicating the start of the field induced phase transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the past decade, domain engineered relaxor-PT ferroelectric single crystals, including (1− x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–xPbTiO3 (PMN–PT), (1− x)Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3–xPbTiO3 (PZN–PT) and (1− x − y)Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3–yPb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–xPbTiO3 (PIN–PMN–PT), with compositions near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) have triggered a revolution in electromechanical devices owing to their giant piezoelectric properties and ultra-high electromechanical coupling factors. Compared to traditional PbZr1− x Ti x O3 (PZT) ceramics, the piezoelectric coefficient d 33 is increased by a factor of 5 and the electromechanical coupling factor k 33 is increased from <70% to >90%. Many emerging rich physical phenomena, such as charged domain walls, multi-phase coexistence, and domain pattern symmetries, have posed challenging fundamental questions for scientists. The superior electromechanical properties of these domain engineered single crystals have prompted the design of a new generation electromechanical devices, including sensors, transducers, actuators and other electromechanical devices, with greatly improved performance. It took less than 7years from the discovery of larger size PMN–PT single crystals to the commercial production of the high-end ultrasonic imaging probe “PureWave”. The speed of development is unprecedented, and the research collaboration between academia and industrial engineers on this topic is truly intriguing. It is also exciting to see that these relaxor-PT single crystals are being used to replace traditional PZT piezoceramics in many new fields outside of medical imaging. The new ternary PIN–PMN–PT single crystals, particularly the ones with Mn-doping, have laid a solid foundation for innovations in high power acoustic projectors and ultrasonic motors, hinting another revolution in underwater SONARs and miniature actuation devices. This article intends to provide a comprehensive review on the development of relaxor-PT single crystals, spanning material discovery, crystal growth techniques, domain engineering concept, and full-matrix property characterization all the way to device innovations. It outlines a truly encouraging story in materials science in the modern era. All key references are provided and 30 complete sets of material parameters for different types of relaxor-PT single crystals are listed in Appendix A. It is the intension of this review article to serve as a resource for those who are interested in basic research and practical applications of these relaxor-PT single crystals. In addition, possible mechanisms of giant piezoelectric properties in these domain-engineered relaxor-PT systems will be discussed based on contributions from polarization rotation and charged domain walls. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Temperature behavior of piezoelectric properties in Mn-doped and undoped PIN–PMN–PT. [•] Higher curie temperature, coercive field and mechanical quality from Mn substitution. [•] Better temperature stability of k 33, d 33 and Q m in Mn-doped PIN–PMN–PT. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]