Piezoelectric creep in LiNbO3, PMN-PT and PZT-5A at low temperatures

Creep and hysteresis were directly measured for shear displacements of three widely used piezoelectric materials: 41 ° X-cut lithium niobate (LiNbO 3), single crystal lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT), and ceramic lead zirconium titanate (PZT-5A). Measurements were made at temperatures between 0.1 K and 310 K and at voltages up to 150 V. No creep or hysteresis was seen for the single domain lithium niobate transducer. PMN-PT exhibited large creep and hysteresis with a strong temperature dependence even at temperatures as low as 10 K. The temperature dependence was complicated and included an unusual region of negative creep around 250 K. The ceramic PZT-5A had significant creep near room temperature, which disappeared below about 35 K. The widths of the measured hysteresis loops mirrored the magnitudes of the creep that produces the hysteresis. We discuss the behavior of the three materials in terms of intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms of piezoelectricity. Our results provide guidance in selecting materials for piezoelectric actuators for precise positioning applications like scanning tunneling microscopy. Although it is seldom used in actuator stacks, lithium niobate is the best choice for many cryogenic applications.