Fabrication of phased array probe using 0.93Pb(Zn13/Nb23/)O3-0.07PbTiO3 piezoelectric single crystals

Single crystals of 0.93Pb(Zn₁3/Nb₂3/)O₃-0.07PbTiO₃ (PZNT 93/7) with diameters of 40 mm were gown successfully by the solution Bridgman method with PbO flux. The PZNT 93/7 single crystal (SC) had excellent dielectric and piezoelectric properties equivalent to those of PZNT 91/9 SC and better thermal stability of the properties because of its high phase transition temperature, Trt. Moreover, phased array probes using the PZNT 93/7 SC were fabricated. The echo amplitudes and the bandwidths of the probes were almost the same as those of PZNT 91/9 SC probes. Therefore, we think that the PZNT 93/7 SC achieves the optimum balance between piezoelectric properties and their thermal stability and it is very suitable for medical transducers.