Field-Induced Ferroelectric Phase Transition Dynamics in PMN-PT compositions near the Morphotropic Phase Boundary

TL;DR

This study investigates the unique dynamical behavior of field-induced ferroelectric phase transitions in PMN-PT near the MPB, revealing history-dependent effects and kinetic memory phenomena.

Contribution

It provides new insights into how electric-field history influences phase transition dynamics in PMN-PT near the MPB, highlighting kinetic memory effects.

Findings

PMN-PT near MPB shows distinct phase-transition dynamics from compositions far below MPB.

Electric-field history significantly affects transition temperature, delay time, and polarization.

PMN-PT can retain a memory of electric-field history, accelerating ferroelectric ordering.

Abstract

The dynamical behavior of field-induced ferroelectric phase transitions in compositions of PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3(1-x)-PbTiO3(x) (PMN-PT) near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) was investigated using several electric-field application protocols. Our results show that PMN-PT compositions near the MPB exhibit phase-transition dynamics that differ markedly from those far below the MPB. We demonstrate that electric-field history significantly affects the field-induced transition temperature Tc, zero-field-cooling (ZFC) delay time tau_ZFC, and induced polarization Pc gained or lost during the transition. Furthermore, under specific field-temperature conditions, PMN-PT retains a memory of its electric-field history and uses it to kinetically accelerate ferroelectric ordering. We propose an explanation for the differences in phase-transition dynamics between MPB-proximal and MPB-distant compositions, contextualized within prior literature.