LOW-TEMPERATURE OBSERVATION OF RELAXER FERROELECTRIC DOMAINS IN LEAD-ZINC NIOBATE

Domain reorientation in single crystals of lead zinc niobate lead tita nate solid solutions was examined, because the reorientation contribut es to the electrically controlled change of shape and change of respon se in piezoelectric transducers and actuators. An optical microscope t echnique was used to explore the buildup of macropolar domains from mi cropolar regions in relaxer compositions. Poorly defined ''ambiguous'' spindlelike domains changed to distinct lamellar domains as PbTiO3 co ntent was increased, The domain walls in Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O-3-rich sample s moved with a wavelike motion, The motion ceased or ''froze-in'' belo w -130 degrees and -30 degrees C for held-biased and nonbiased samples , respectively, The domains were observed at various temperatures from 300 degrees to -185 degrees C and electric fields up to +10 kV/cm.