Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 January 2011
(Pb1−xBax) (Zr0.75Ti0.25)O3 ceramics were modified with Y3+ and Nb5+, and their dielectric and electrostrictive properties were investigated as a function of x (0.23 ≤x ≤ 0.33). With increasing Ba2+ content, the axial length (a) was increased and distortion of rhombohedral angle (90°-α) approached to zero, resulting in the increased symmetry of the (Pb1−xBax)0.96Y0.02(Zr0.75Ti0.25)0.98Nb0.02O3 structure. As the Ba2+ content increased, the maximum dielectric constant decreased and the curve of field-induced strain became a parabolic one with lower hysteresis of strain. When 25−27 mol% of Ba2+ was substituted on the Pb2+ sites, the specimens showed excellent electrostrictive properties which were 1.04−1.17 × 10−3 of longitudinal strain and 12–18% of hysteresis of strain at 10 kV/cm.