# Dual-Piezo-Charge Strategy in (1–0)–3 Single-Crystal Composite for Enhancing Underwater Acoustic Sensing

## TL;DR

A new single-crystal composite material with a dual-piezo-charge mechanism significantly improves underwater acoustic sensing performance.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a dual-piezo-charge mechanism in a novel (1–0)–3 single-crystal composite to enhance acoustic sensitivity and hydrostatic figure of merit.

## Key findings

- The (1–0)–3 SCPC achieves an ultrahigh hydrostatic figure of merit of ~8089 × 10−15 m2 N−1.
- The ultrasound transducer based on this composite shows a ~70% improvement in underwater acoustic sensitivity.
- The design maintains a broad −3 dB bandwidth of 130 kHz and long-term operational stability.

## Abstract

(1–0)–3 single-crystal piezocomposite (SCPC) based on [011]-oriented relaxor PIN-PMN-PT crystal was fabricated via a modified method combining 3D printing-assisted dice-and-insert with dice-and-fill techniques.The (1–0)–3 SCPC, characterized by ordered and poled microholes and incorporating a dual-piezo-charge mechanism, achieves an ultrahigh hydrostatic figure of merit dhgh of about 8089 × 10−15 m2 N−1.The ultrasound transducer based on (1–0)–3 SCPC exhibits a ~ 70% enhancement in underwater acoustic sensitivity while maintaining a broad − 3 dB bandwidth of 130 kHz.

(1–0)–3 single-crystal piezocomposite (SCPC) based on [011]-oriented relaxor PIN-PMN-PT crystal was fabricated via a modified method combining 3D printing-assisted dice-and-insert with dice-and-fill techniques.

The (1–0)–3 SCPC, characterized by ordered and poled microholes and incorporating a dual-piezo-charge mechanism, achieves an ultrahigh hydrostatic figure of merit dhgh of about 8089 × 10−15 m2 N−1.

The ultrasound transducer based on (1–0)–3 SCPC exhibits a ~ 70% enhancement in underwater acoustic sensitivity while maintaining a broad − 3 dB bandwidth of 130 kHz.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40820-026-02102-1.

Piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers (PUTs) are extensively used in diverse technological fields, yet further enhancement in acoustic sensitivity and hydrostatic figure of merit dhgh have plateaued in conventional 1–3 piezocomposites, whose structures have remained largely unchanged for decades. Herein, we report a (1–0)–3 single-crystal piezocomposite (SCPC) based on the [011]-oriented Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (PIN-PMN-PT) single-crystal, featuring a dual-piezo-charge (DPC) mechanism arising from the piezoelectric and piezoelectret synergy effect. The ordered and polar 0-phase microholes with aligned dipoles are intentionally introduced in 1-phase piezo-pillars, yielding a uniquely low effective dielectric constant, reduced acoustic impedance, and DPC properties unattainable in conventional SCPCs. Both Simulations and experiments confirm that this DPC mechanism in (1–0)–3 SCPC enables an ultrahigh dhgh of ~ 8089 × 10−15 m2 N−1, representing increases of 443.2% and 890.6% over commercial 1–3 SCPC and 1–3 piezoceramic composite, respectively. The engineered microhole structure and DPC strategy also significantly enhance underwater acoustic sensitivity while maintaining a broad − 3 dB bandwidth of 130 kHz, crucial for maritime safety and collision avoidance. Meanwhile, the long-term testing further verifies the PUT’s operational stability. This design approach offers a promising pathway for next-generation piezocomposites and PUT technologies.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40820-026-02102-1.