Enhanced Photovoltaic Response in Lead Lanthanum Zirconate-Titanate Ceramics with A-Site Deficient Composition for Photostrictor Application

Samples of (Pb 0.97 , La 0.03 )(Zr 0.52 , Ti 0.48 ) 1-0.03/4 O 3 (PLZT) ceramics with and without an A-site deficient composition of 1 mol% in ABO 3 perovskite structures have been prepared by sintering at 1200°C for 2 h to investigate the photovoltaic response upon UV illumination, as well as the ferroelectric and piezoelectric parameters such as the polarization-electric field ( P – E ) hysteresis curve, strain constant, and dielectric constant. Results confirmed that the A-site deficient composition generates a photovoltaic current twofold higher than that in the sample without the deficient composition. In the ferroelectric and piezoelectric parameters, no significant difference was measured between the two samples. These results indicate that the photostrictor response is mostly determined by the photovoltaic properties and that the overall response speed of photostriction can be markedly improved by enhanced photovoltaic current.