Large electrical manipulation of permittivity in BaTiO3 and Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 bimorph heterostructure

We report a strain-mediated electric field manipulation of permittivity in BaTiO3 (barium titanate, BT) ceramic by a Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) bimorph. This BT/PZT heterostructure exhibited a relatively large permittivity tunability of BT up to ±10% in a wide frequency range under an electric field of ±4 kV/cm applied to the PZT bimorph. The permittivity tunability is attributed to the strain in BT produced by the PZT bimorph. Calculations of the relationship between permittivity and applied electric field were developed, and corresponded well with measurements. The BT/PZT heterostructure has potential for applications in broadband field tunable smart electronic devices.