8 – High Curie temperature piezoelectric single crystals of the Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3–Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 ternary materials system

Abstract: This chapter considers piezoelectric single crystals (PSCs) with a large piezoelectric constant ( d 33 ), high Curie temperature ( T c ), high phase-change temperature ( T rt ) and high coercive field ( E c ). Their piezoelectric properties are greatly superior to those of Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 (PZT) ceramics so binary PSCs are used for transducer applications. PZNT and PMNT PSCs have shortcomings: low T c , low T rt and low E c . Ternary systems are used to overcome the problems of PZT ceramics, binary PZNT and PMNT PSCs. Single crystals of a PIMNT ternary system, their manufacturing process and electrical properties are reviewed. The application of PIMNT materials with high d 33 , T c , T rt and E c for medical transducers is described.