Elasto-optic and electro-optic studies of PZN-PT single crystals

The elasto/acousto-optic (A-O) and electro-optic (E-O) coefficients of Pb(Zn/sub 1/3/Nb/sub 2/3/)O/sub 3/-PbTiO/sub 3/ (PZN-PT) single crystals with a broad composition range (i.e. PZN with 0, 4.5, 8, 10, 12 mol% PT) are reported. The A-O coefficients were studied in both hydrostatic pressure and uniaxial stress conditions at room temperature. The E-O coefficients were studied at temperatures from -20/spl deg/C to 80/spl deg/C. It is found that the crystal with the composition near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) exhibits very large A-O and E-O coefficients. More importantly, the E-O coefficient is nearly independent of the temperature in the studied temperature range in the tetragonal state.