Alkali niobate piezoelectric ceramics

Abstract

Piezoelectric ceramic materials are widely used in various electronic equipments [1-26]. Lead-based perovskite materials such as Pb(Ti, Zr)O3 (PZT), or PbTiO3-based materials are commonly used there. Piezoelectric properties of these lead-containing materials have been studied by a large number of researchers. On the other hand, environmental conscious (ECO) consideration grew up in the middle of 1990s especially in Europe. Alternatives for toxic lead-based piezoelectric ceramics have been studied by many researchers recently.