Thickness dependent piezoelectric response and its origin in the skin effect

Piezoelectric materials are used in a wide variety of applications, from piezoelectric nano-positioning systems to automotive fuel injection. To date, these applications have been nearly exclusively based on solid solutions of lead zirconate and lead titanate (PZT). Despite a number of advantages, the lead content makes both manufacturing and disposal of PZT hazardous to people and environment. Therefore, legislative conditions motivated research efforts into the development of a lead-free alternative. While many lead-free piezoelectric compositions exist, further enhancement of their properties through compositional engineering alone is unlikely to yield ongoing developments. These experiments will demonstrate the mechanism associated with sample thickness dependent enhancements in properties, that are a promising method for the ongoing development of lead-free piezoelectrics.

压电材料（Piezoelectric materials）的应用场景极为广泛，覆盖压电纳米定位系统、汽车燃油喷射系统等诸多领域。迄今为止，此类应用几乎完全依托于锆钛酸铅（lead zirconate and lead titanate, PZT）固溶体。尽管PZT具备诸多优势，但其含铅属性使得其制备与废弃处理过程均会对人体健康及生态环境构成危害。为此，相关立法条例推动了无铅替代材料的研发进程。尽管目前已开发出多种无铅压电组分，但仅通过组分工程来进一步优化其性能，似乎难以支撑该领域的持续发展。本系列实验将阐明与样品厚度依赖性性能增强相关的作用机制，该机制为无铅压电材料的持续研发提供了极具前景的技术路径。