Combined real-time study of dielectric response and piezoresponse of Pb(Mg$_{1/3}$Nb$_{2/3}$)O$_{3}$ relaxor in an electric field

The method of the study of the polarization switching processes in ferroelectrics by an external electric field using synchronous measurement of an electric impedance and piezoelectric response is described. Using the developed technique, the switching processes in the electric field-induced ferroelectric phase (FE) of lead magnoniobate are studied. It is shown that, upon the initial occurrence of the SE phase, a multidomain structure with a weak piezoelectric response is formed. A change in the direction of the external field leads to polarization switching, and the switching process passes through an intermediate glassy phase. raining a sample by repeated switching leads to a sharp increase in the piezoelectric response, which can be attributed to the formation of a single-domain state.