Piezoelectric activity of relaxor-PbTiO(3) based single crystals and polycrystalline ceramics at cryogenic temperatures: Intrinsic and extrinsic contributions.

The piezoelectric activity in [001] poled Pb(In(12)Nb(12))O(3)-Pb(Mg(13)Nb(23))O(3)-PbTiO(3) crystals was investigated as a function of composition and temperature. The level of intrinsic andor extrinsic contribution to the total piezoelectric activity was analyzed using Rayleigh method. The results revealed that though 95% of the observed piezoelectric activity in rhombohedral crystals was intrinsic (lattice), the properties decreased significantly with decreasing temperature. At -150 degrees C, the piezoelectric response decreased by 40%-55% for the compositions close to a morphotropic phase boundary (rhombohedral-monoclinic or monoclinic-tetragonal), while decreasing only 20%-30% for the compositions in the rhombohedral region. The piezoelectric properties of Pb(Mg(13)Nb(23))O(3)-PbTiO(3) polycrystalline ceramics were found to decrease by 75%, showing both intrinsic and extrinsic contributions play important role in the reduction in piezoelectricity at cryogenic temperatures for ceramics.