Characterization of (Fe′Zr,Ti − V ••O) • Defect Dipoles in (La,Fe)-Codoped PZT 52.5/47.5 Piezoelectric Ceramics by Multifrequency Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Fe3+ codoped Pb[Zr054Ti046]O3 ceramics were studied by means of multifrequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The obtained results prove that iron is incorporated at the [Zr,Ti]-site, acting as an acceptor and building a charged (FeZr,TiV O) defect dipole with a di-rectly coordinated oxygen vacancy for partial charge com-pensation. This feature of the defect associates has hith-erto been identified only in hard, exclusively Fe3+-doped PZT compounds. The present results show, however, that a similar defect association of the Fe3+ functional center with a V O also exists in soft, donor-acceptor (La 3+,Fe3+)-codoped PZT