MEASURING STRAIN DISTRIBUTION DURING MESOSCOPIC DOMAIN REORIENTATION IN A FERROELECTRIC MATERIAL

In this paper we present the results of an experimental study focused on understanding the strain concentrations arising due to nonlinear ph enomena associated with polarization switching. A moire interferometry technique is used to measure the normal and shear strains of a PZT-SH piezoceramic undergoing 180 and 90 deg switching. These results inclu de the strain concentrations measured between polarized regions orient ed 180 and 90 deg apart. The results show that very large strain misma tches (e.g., as large as 4500 microstrains) occur along the boundary o f dissimilar oriented domains, suggesting a source of microcrack initi ation and fatigue degradation.