Temperature-Induced Phase Transition Characteristics of [001]-Oriented 0.93Pb(Zn_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-0.07PbTiO₃ (PZN-7%PT) Single Crystal by Using Piezoresponse Force Microscopy

• Main Authors: Hongli Wang, Kaiyang Zeng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-02-01
• Series: Materials
• Subjects: phase transition; temperature; PZN-7%PT; PFM
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/4/855

The evolution of the domain structures of [⁰⁰¹]-oriented relaxor ferroelectric 0.93PbZn_1/3Nb_2/3O₃-0.07PbTiO₃ (PZN-7%PT) single crystals as a function of temperature was investigated in situ by using piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). It was found that the local domain structure of PZN-7%PT single crystals at room temperature is rhombohedral with nanoscale twins. Temperature-dependent domain structures showed that the phase transition process is a collective process and that the sample underwent a sequence of rhombohedral (R) → monoclinic (Mc) → tetragonal (T) → cubic (C) phase transformations when the temperature increased from 25 °C to 170 °C. The results provide direct observation of the phase transition evolution of PZN-7%PT single crystals as a function of temperature, which is of great significance to fully understand the relationships between the domain structure and phase structure of PZN-7%PT single crystals.