Uniaxial pressure influence on dielectric properties of Pb(Zr0.99Ti0.01)O3 single crystals

The effect of uniaxial pressure (0-1000 bars) applied parallel to AC electric field on dielectric properties of Pb(Zr0.99Ti0.01)O3 single crystals has been investigated. It was found that uniaxial pressure significantly influences these properties. With increasing pressure: (i) peak (T) decreases, becomes diffuse and shifts to higher temperature, (ii) the thermal hysteresis is reduced, (iii) the hump in (T) profile connected with antiferroelectric-intermediate phase transition vanishes, and (iv) the local anomaly in (T) profile connected with polar microregions existence above Tm is protruded and slightly shifts towards higher temperature. It was concluded, that applied uniaxial pressure or increasing Ti-ions content in lead zirconate titanate system induces similar effects. The results were discussed in terms of domain switching under pressure.