Large displacement transducers based on electric field forced phase transitions in the tetragonal (Pb0.97La0.02) (Ti,Zr,Sn)O3 family of ceramics

Several properties associated with the field‐induced phase change between the antiferroelectric and ferroelectric states in tetragonal (Pb0.97 La0.02 )(Sn,Ti,Zr)O3 antiferroelectric ceramic family were investigated for high‐strain displacement transducer applications. The longitudinal field‐induced strain accompanying the phase change is in the range of 0.2%–0.9%. The single‐shot switching time between the two states is on the order of 1–2 μs. Under continuous ac field driving, the hysteretic heating effect introduces a temperature rise, changing the original room‐temperature switching behavior. The ceramics degrade under ac field excitation, the average life cycles is in the range of 10⁶ –10⁷ cycles which can be greatly improved by carefully polishing the sample surfaces.