Role of lower valent substituent-oxygen vacancy complexes in polarization pinning in potassium-modified lead zirconate titanate

Abstract

The dependence of polarization switching on thermal histories has been investigated for K1+-modified lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics by Sawyer–Tower polarization methods. It was found that double-loop-like polarization characteristics in the aged condition could be reversed to normal single loop polarization characteristics by quenching specimens from above the ferroelectric phase transition temperature. However, the P–E curves reversed back to double-loop-like characteristics after reaging specimens at elevated temperatures. Excess oxygen vacancies in La3+-modified PZT were not found to result in double-loop-like polarization hysteresis, whereas excess oxygen vacancies in K1+-modified PZT did. These results provide evidence for role of K1+-oxygen vacancy complexes in polarization pinning.