New environmentally friendly photo-controlled ferroelectrics with high sensitivity.

• Grant number: 25/04548-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal Investigator: Michel Venet Zambrano
• Grantee: Gabriel Biazon Sbrana
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This project aims to investigate the effect of the coupling between light and matter on the dielectric and anelastic properties of Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti0.9Zr0.1O3 (BCZT0.5) ceramic materials, a promising lead-free ferroelectric material due to its high piezoelectric properties. The project focuses on the characterization and optimization of BCZT0.5 ceramics with high density and no secondary phases, to explore their response to visible light, especially in terms of changes in macroscopic properties such as dielectric permittivity and anelastic deformation. Additionally, the reversibility of these changes will be investigated, which is crucial for their application in highly sensitive photo-controlled devices. The methodology includes the synthesis of ceramic powders, their structural and morphological characterization through techniques such as X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, and the study of sintering conditions that optimize the formation of densified ceramic bodies. The study will also address the influence of light application on different properties and the reversibility of the observed effects, aiming to expand the potential applications of these materials in next-generation smart devices. (AU)