Polarization measurements on PZT under transverse tensile loading

The present paper deals with the influence of uniaxial tensile stresses on polarization of a commercial soft PZT ceramic. It is found that for an electric field of E < 0.75 kV/mm the polarization in field direction of the initially unpoled material increases under tensile stresses acting normally to the applied electric field. Above 0.75 kV/mm, the polarization under the tensile stresses is slightly lower than the polarization in unstressed specimens. For initially poled PZT depolarization occurs under tensile stresses acting perpendicularly to the poling direction. This effect is small if an electrical field is applied in poling direction, but increases strongly for an electric field applied against the poling direction.