Relations between single-domain and multidomain piezoelastic properties in single crystals

This paper presents a new method to compute the piezoelastic properties of multidomain single crystals from the single-domain constants. Based on a quasi static assumption, a PMN-xPT multidomain is defined as a periodic medium with a lattice composed of layers of two domains in a twin structure. Such a structure is assumed to have charged domain walls that imply specific lattice media and boundary conditions. A numerical computation has been performed for a PMN-33PT single crystal in the rhombohedral phase. The effective elastic, piezoelectric, and dielectric constants of the macroscopic structure have been calculated, as well as the wave velocities in different configurations of domain patterns.