Electrical, optical and acoustic properties of PLZT ceramics by two-stage processing

Abstract
A new sintering technique for transparent PLZT ceramics was developed which uses a unique two-stage process involving both vacuum hot pressing for a short time (first stage) and atmosphere sintering (second stage). By this process we obtained highly transparent, virtually colorless, and extremely pore-free PLZT 9/65/35. The quality of materials fabricated by this process depends strongly upon the method of controlling the liquid phase excess lead oxide in the grain boundaries.