Electron Microscopy Characterization of Lead Zirconate Titanate Ceramics at the Morphotropic Phase Boundary Composition

Abstract

The structure and chemical composition of PZT ceramics prepared by conventional ceramic processing has been analyzed by electron microscopy. Lattice parameters obtained from x-ray diffraction indicate that the T and R phases are only very slightly distorted from cubic symmetry at the MPB composition. Convergent beam diffraction (CBD) has been used to analyze the structure at te MPB composition using the fact that the symmetry of the CBD pattern is sensitive to the point group of the space lattice. It has been established that both T and R phases are present at the MPB composition. Microanalysis using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy has been carried out in conjunction with the structure analysis to establish the chemical composition of the different phases present.