The use of diffraction in the characterization of piezoelectric materials

Abstract

X-ray and neutron diffraction have become powerful characterization tools in materials research. Their leading use in the characterization of piezoelectric ceramics includes the determination of structure, phase evolution, crystallographic texture, and lattice strain. The inherent electromechanical coupling of piezoelectric materials also allows the direct characterization of the converse piezoelectric effect. New advances in diffraction capabilities have recently enabled new problem solutions within this field. For example, the use of microdiffraction has the potential to characterize structural defects including cracks and domain walls. The development of time-resolved techniques has further opened doors to characterizing ferroelectrics in real-time under the application of cyclic electric fields. These recent advances as well as traditional uses of X-ray and neutron diffraction in the characterization of piezoelectric materials and the phenomenon of piezoelectricity are explored in this review. A focus is on characterization of bulk, polycrystalline ceramics, though novel approaches in thin films and single crystals are also reviewed. Challenges and future opportunities are discussed.

In situ measurement of material properties of lead zirconate titanate piezoelectric ceramics during cyclic mechanical loading

“…For instance, the domain orientation in grain (A) is (2 1 0) before loading, but is tilted to (1 0 2) following the loading process. Similar 90 • domain switching was obtained in the study by Jones [27]. He examined the domain orientation by X-ray diffraction, and demonstrated 90 • domain switching in perovskite tetragonal ceramics through an intensity interchange between the 0 0 2 and 2 0 0 peaks.…”

Texture and Anisotropy of Polycrystalline Piezoelectrics

“…These domain measurements using diffraction were conducted at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS), beamline X18A, using a wavelength of 1.240 Å and a Ge (111) crystal analyzer detector on the diffracted beam 20 . This instrumental setup was required to resolve the small difference between the (100) and (010) lattice planes 79 . The samples for which the piezoelectric d 33 coefficient was measured were poled using an electric field of 6.5 kV/mm, and the d 33 coefficient was measured on a Berlincourt d 33 meter 24 h after poling.…”

Domain switching characteristics of lead zirconate titanate piezoelectric ceramics during mechanical compressive loading

“…of PZT ceramics. 4 To provide direct evidences of this, the domain switching characteristics have been investigated using various methods, including electron-back-scatter diffraction, 4 Moiré interferometry, 5 neutron and X-ray diffraction, 6 scanning force microscopy, 7 piezo-force microscopy, 8 polarized light microcopy 9 and finite element analysis. 10 There are a number of related papers.…”