• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.198-202
• /
• 2009

For use in ultrasonic actuators, we investigated the structural and piezoelectric properties of $(1\;-\;x)Pb(Zr_{0.515}Ti_{0.485})O_3$ - $xPb(Sb_{1/2}Nb_{1/2})O_3$ + 0.5 wt% $MnO_2$ [(1 - x)PZT - xPSN + $MnO_2$] ceramics with a variation of x (x = 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08). All the ceramics, which were sintered at $1250^{\circ}C$ for 2 h, showed a typical perovskite structure, implying that they were well synthesized. A homogeneous micro structure was also developed for the specimens, and their average grain size was slightly decreased to $1.3{\mu}m$ by increasing x to 0.8. Moreover, a second phase with a pyrochlore structure appeared when x was above 0.06, which resulted in the deterioration of their piezoelectric properties. However, the 0.96PZT-0.04PSN+$MnO_2$ ceramics, which corresponds with a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) composition in the (1 - x)PZT - xPSN + $MnO_2$ system, exhibited good piezoelectric properties: a piezoelectric constant ($d_{33}$) of 325 pC/N, an electromechanical coupling factor ($k_p$) of 70.8%, and a mechanical quality factor ($Q_m$) of 1779. The specimens with a relatively high curie temperature ($T_c$) of $305^{\circ}C$ also showed a significantly high dielectric constant (${\varepsilon}_r$) value of 1109. Therefore, the 0.96PZT - 0.04PSN + $MnO_2$ ceramics are suitable for use in ultrasonic vibrators.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
• /
• v.38 no.5
• /
• pp.313-322
• /
• 2001

The effects of Zr/Ti concentration ratio in PLZT (10/y/z) thin films prepared by sol-gel method are investigated for the NVFRAM application. Rosette and pyrochlore phase are observed in PLZT (10/40/60) thin film and the (100) orientation, the grain size, and the surface roughness of PLZT thin films increase due to the increase of Ti amount in Zr/Ti concentration ratio. As Ti amount of Zr/Ti concentration ratio increases, the dielectric constants at 10KHz decrease from 600 to 400, while the loss tangents increase from 0.028 to 0.053 and the leakage current densities at 170 kY/cm decrease from 1.64$\times$10$^{-6}$ to 1.26$\times$10$^{-7}$ A/$\textrm{cm}^2$. In the results of hysteresis loops measured at $\pm$ 170 ㎸/cm, the remanent polarization and the coercive field increase from 6.62 to 12.86 $\mu$C/$\textrm{cm}^2$ and from 32.15 to 56.45 ㎸/cm, respectively, according to the change from 40/60 to 0/100 in Zr/Ti concentration ratio. Fatigue and retention properties also improve much as the Zr/Ti concentration ratio change from 40/60 to 0/100. After applying 10$^{9}$ square pulses with $\pm$5V, the remanent polarization of the PLZT (10/40/60) thin film decreases 50％ from the initial state while that of the PLZT (10/0/100) thin film decreases 30％. In the results of retention measurements of 10$^{5}$ s, the remanent polarization of the PLZT (10/0/100) thin film decreases only 11％ from the initial state, while that of the PLZT (10/40/60) thin film decreases 40%.