In situ investigation of the stability field and relaxation behavior of nanodomain structures in morphotropic Pb [Zr_1-xTi_x] O₃ under variations in electric field and temperature

The stability field of nanodomain structures recently discovered at the morphotropic phase boundary of undoped lead zirconate titanate [Schönau, Phys. Rev. B 75, 184117 (2007)] has been investigated with respect to temperature and electric field. Under electric field for distinct compositions, such as PbZr0.535 Ti0.465 O3, the starting domain structure of tetragonal microdomains and nanodomains is reversibly alternated into rhombohedral microdomains at high voltage. We now show that this material exhibits a dielectric relaxation directly below the formation temperature of nanodomain structures, correlated either to a high domain wall density or to polar nanoregions with activation energies in the range observed for relaxor ferroelectrics