Domains rotation analysis of Pb0.97La0.03(Zr0.57Ti0.43)0.993O3 ferroelectric ceramics based on thermal expansion behavior

Abstract Dielectric properties and thermal expansion behavior of Pb 0.97 La 0.03 (Zr 0.57 Ti 0.43 ) 0.993 O 3 (PLZT3/57/43) ceramics were studied. The thermal expansion behavior of unpoled PLZT3/57/43 ceramics was isotropic; while it was anisotropic for poled ceramics due to the alignment of ferroelectric domains. The linear thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) became negative for sample parallel to the poling direction in a certain temperature range，andit was strongly correlated with the thermal depolarization process. The polarization rotation during the depolarization process was calculated from the thermal expansion data. The result of change in sample dimension after poling was also obtained. The results showed that thermal expansion measurement is a powerful method for studying the thermal depolarization process of piezoelectric ceramics.