Synthesis of cylindrically-concaved PMNePT thick films by pad printing process

An approximately 40 mu m pyrochlore-free lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate [0.65Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3 -0.35PbTiO(3), PMN-PT] thick film with cylindrically-concaved structure was successfully prepared using a pad printing technology. The optimum sintering temperature was found to be 800 degrees C and the obtained sample exhibited good dielectric and ferroelectric properties. Curie temperature, room temperature relative permittivity, dielectric loss and remnant polarization of this kind of PMN-PT thick film were 172 degrees C, 2638, 0.025 and 25 mu C/cm(2), respectively, which are comparable to the reported values for planar PMN-PT thick film. These promising results indicate that pad printing technology is an effective way to fabricate high performance cylindrically-concaved thick film and this obtained PMN-PT thick film may be a good candidate for high frequency focused ultrasound array application. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.