Experimental research on the response characteristics of PLZT ceramics

PLZT ceramics have exhibited promising applications as wireless photo-driven micro actuators for their direct conversion from optical energy to mechanical energy. However, the slow response of photodeformation and the residual photovoltage and deformation prevent PLZT ceramics from being employed as micro actuators, especially in the high frequency dynamic field. The primary purposes of this article are to analyze the response characteristics of PLZT ceramics and look for some measures to improve the response performance of the photo-induced deformation. To this end, this study observed the slow response, the residual photovoltage and deformation through photostrictive static experiments. Some measures proposed to accelerate the response speed and eliminate the residual photovoltage and deformation in this paper were experimentally confirmed. From these experiments, the hysteresis phenomenon caused by temperature rising, the residual photovoltage and photo-induced deformation after turning off the ultraviolet light are considered to be the main reasons for the slow response of photo-induced deformation. The experimental results indicate that reducing the effect of temperature elevation, ground connection and using another PLZT ceramic to eliminate the residual photovoltage and deformation are proven ways to improve the response performance of photo-induced deformation. On that basis, two optical driving mechanisms were proposed. (paper)