Concentration Dependence of the Electric Field Gradient in PbZr1−xTixO3 Ceramics

The concentration dependence of the electric field gradient (EFG) in PZT ceramics was studied by Time Differential Perturbed Angular Correlations (PAC) using the 181 Ta radioactive probe in samples with x = 0.3, 0.5 and 0.8 at room temperature. This phase presents two sites, probably related to defects close to probes, caused by oxygen and lead vacancies. We can also state that both the paraelectric and ferroelectric phases of these systems have two sites with different characteristics and that the high-frequency quadrupolar frequency site presents the highest fraction. The concen- tration dependence revealed by our results is discussed by comparing the latter with previous PAC studies.