Development of piezoelectric and relaxor ceramics for sensor materials

In this paper, piezoelectric and relaxor ceramics are the basic materials that are used in designing sensors. The project concentrates on the study and characterization of ceramic materials on the basis of d₃₃, g₃₃ and dielectric constant values. PZT (Pb (Zr_0.55Ti_0.45)O₃), which belongs to the oxygen octahedral group, exhibits perovskite structure. PZT crystallites are centra-symmetric cubic (isotropic) before poling and after poling, it exhibits tetragonal symmetry (anisotropic structure) below the Curie temperature(T_m). Above this temperature it loses the piezoelectric property. PZT ceramics are almost always used with a dopant or a modifier. Additive used in present study is La³⁺. Composition of PLZT used for our study is [Pb_0.95La_0.05 (Zr_0.58Ti_0.42)O₃].