Enhanced piezoelectric and pyroelectric effects in single-phase multiferroic Bi 1-xNd xFeO 3 (x=0-0.15) ceramics

Abstract

Single-phase multiferroic Bi1-x Ndx Fe O3 (x=0-0.15) ceramics are polarized and their piezoelectric and pyroelectric effects are reported. The success in polarizing the ceramics originates from low electrical conductivities controlled predominantly by the Poole-Frenkel conduction mechanism. Limited internal traps due to reduced oxygen vacancies in the ceramics result in sufficiently low leakage current densities of <30 mA m2 even at a high electric field of 145 kVcm. The piezoelectric d33 coefficients of the ceramics before and after annealing at 550 °C for 4 h are measured to be ∼28 and ∼24 pCN, respectively. These values are higher than those of most major lead-free high-temperature piezoelectric ceramics. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.