Piezoelectric property of relaxor-PbTiO₃ crystals under uniaxial transverse stress

Strain behavior and piezoelectric properties of relaxor-PbTiO₃ based crystals have been studied under the combination of electric field and static uniaxial transverse compressive stress. The transverse piezoelectric coefficient, d₃₂, for crystals well into the rhombohedral phase was found to increase with increasing stress due to a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) effect, while the values for crystals with MPB composition exhibit a contrary trend that is associated with the phase transformation. In addition, an ac drive field was found to depolarize the crystals under stress. Of particular significance is that manganese-modified crystals show stable piezoelectric properties under ac drive field and stress, which has potential for transducer applications.