title: Time-resolved X-ray diffraction reveals the hidden mechanism of high piezoelectric activity in a uniaxial ferroelectric.
abstract: High piezoelectric activity of many ferroelectrics has been the focus of numerous recent studies. The structural origin of this activity remains poorly understood due to a lack of appropriate experimental techniques and mixing of different mechanisms related to ferroelectricity and ferroelasticity. Our work reports on the study of a uniaxial Sr_{0.5}Ba_{0.5}Nb_{2}O_{6} ferroelectric where the formation of regions with different spontaneous strains is ruled out by the symmetry and where the interrelation between piezoelectricity and ferroelectricity can be inspected in an isolated fashion. We performed x-ray diffraction experiments on a single crystalline sample under alternating electric field and observed an unknown hidden-in-the-bulk mechanism, which suggests that the highest piezoelectric activity is realized in the volumes where nucleation of small ferroelectric domains takes place. This new mechanism creates a novel roadmap for designing materials with enhanced piezoelectric properties.
authors: Department of Physics, University of Siegen, D-57072 Siegen, Germany.
authors: Semën
authors: S
authors: Gorfman
authors: Department of Physics, University of Siegen, D-57072 Siegen, Germany.
authors: Hyeokmin
authors: H
authors: Choe
authors: Institute for Materials Science, University of Duisburg-Essen, D-45141 Essen, Germany.
authors: Vladimir V
authors: VV
authors: Shvartsman
authors: Department of Physics, University of Siegen, D-57072 Siegen, Germany.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Ziolkowski
authors: Department of Physics, University of Siegen, D-57072 Siegen, Germany.
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Vogt
authors: Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22603 Hamburg, Germany.
authors: Jörg
authors: J
authors: Strempfer
authors: Institute of Electronic Materials Technology, 133 Wolczynska Street, PL-01-919 Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Tadeusz
authors: T
authors: Łukasiewicz
authors: Department of Physics, University of Siegen, D-57072 Siegen, Germany.
authors: Ullrich
authors: U
authors: Pietsch
authors: Institute of Materials Science, University of Silesia, 12 Bankowa Street, PL-40-007 Katowice, Poland.
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: Dec