The Effect of Static Compressive Stress on the High Field Dielectric Properties of Hard PZT Ceramics

Abstract

The application of a static compressive stress to hard PZT ceramics was found to cause significant increases in dielectric permittivity and loss, which were attributed mainly to a stress-induced deageing mechanism caused by ferroelastic 90 degrees domain switching. The epsilon (r)',epsilon (r){''} and tan delta values all decreased gradually during subsequent ageing under stress. Comparable increases in the dielectric coefficients, and subsequent ageing behaviour, were observed on releasing the stress, which were related to recovery of the original domain configuration. The results can be understood in terms of a time-dependent domain wall stabilisation process caused by the reorientation of dipolar defect associates.