查看文章

We present a systematic study on the relation of the electrocaloric effect (ECE) and the relaxor state transition of BaZr x Ti 1− x O 3 (BZT) using a combination of computer simulation and experiment. The results of canonical and microcanonical lattice-based Monte Carlo simulations with a Ginzburg-Landau-type Hamiltonian are compared with measurements of BaZr x Ti 1− x O 3 (x= 0.12 and 0.2) samples. In particular, we study the ECE at various temperatures, domain patterns by piezoresponse force microscopy at room temperature, and the PE loops at various temperatures. We find three distinct regimes depending on the Zr-concentration. In the compositional range 0≤ x≤ 0.2⁠, ferroelectric domains are visible, but the ECE peak drops considerably with increasing Zr-concentration. In the range 0.3≤ x≤ 0.7⁠, relaxor features become prominent, and the decrease in the ECE with Zr-concentration is moderate. In …