Piezoelectric properties of tetragonal single-domain Mn-doped NBT-6 % BT single crystals

We report a study of properties of Mn-doped NBT-6 %BT single crystals. We show that tetragonal single-domain states can be stabilized by poling along a [001] direction. For carefully prepared crystals, the piezoelectric coefficient \(d_{33}\) can reach 570 pC/N. When poled along non-polar directions, the crystals exhibit ferroelectric domain structures consistent with tetragonal micron-sized domains, as revealed by optical observation and Raman spectroscopy. The multidomain crystals have lower \(d_{33}\) values, 225 and 130 pC/N for [011] and [111]-oriented crystals, respectively. This trend is commented on from a domain-engineering perspective.