Characterization of domain structures from diffraction profiles in tetragonal ferroelastic ceramics

Abstract

The underlying domain structures of ferroelastic ceramics have a large influence on their macroscopic electromechanical properties. The profile shape functions of certain pseudo-cubic peaks in diffraction patterns collected from these materials can provide a great deal of information about such domain structures. Using both constant-wavelength neutron and high-energy synchrotron x-ray diffraction, profile shape functions of the pseudo-cubic 002 reflection are evaluated in a soft, tetragonal PZT ceramic. Errors in the integrated intensity ratio, important for measuring the degree of domain boundary movement in these materials, are subject to further scrutiny. It is shown that an asymmetric Pe..