Micromechanical analysis of fracture and domain switching in barium titanate single crystal using cathodoluminescence piezospectroscopy

作者：Yamashita Y^*; Sakakibara S; Yamamoto H; Sakabe Y; Pezzotti G

来源：Journal of Applied Physics, 2005, 98(3): 034110.

DOI：10.1063/1.2006221

It is shown that the combination of scanning electron microscopy and spectral cathodoluminescence (CL) can be a very valuable tool for analyzing the presence of applied or residual stress fields in barium titanate (BaTiO3) single crystal. This may enable a direct experimental confirmation of some important aspects of existing theories of domain switching and its effect on the fracture behavior of piezoelectric ceramics. The visible CL spectrum of BaTiO3 single crystal was first systematically collected as a function of crystallographic orientation and the observed bands assigned to proper transitions in the energy gap, according to existing theories on band schemes. Moreover, in agreement with general piezospectroscopic rules, a definite correlation between the spectral wavelength of the visible CL spectrum, mainly arising from the optical activity of O and Ba vacancies, and the local trace of the stress tensor could be observed. The found correlation suggests the possibility of quantitatively characterizing the magnitude of residual stress fields in BaTiO3 with a submicrometric spatial resolution, thus clarifying the stress state piled up in BaTiO3 devices during the manufacturing process or those developed during operative life.

• 出版日期2005-8-1