Direct observation of 90° domain switching in lead zirconate titanate thick films using x-ray diffraction

Using an x-ray diffraction with reciprocal space mapping, 90° domain switching in tetragonal lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thick films under an applied field was studied. An increase in the c-axis lattice constant and a decrease in the a-axis lattice constant due to the piezoelectric effect and switching from a domain to c domain (90° domain switching) were observed under an applied field. The contribution from 90° domain switching to the total strain was estimated to be 60%–100%, which is almost the same as that for bulk PZT. High value is consistent with the intrinsic nonlinearity in a tetragonal film.