Thermally activated domain wall motion and its pinning effects induced by Mn doping in BS–PT piezoelectric ceramics

Abstract Bismuth scandate–lead titanate (BS–PT) ceramic is a well‐known piezoelectric material with large piezoelectric coefficient ( d 33 ) and high Curie temperature ( T C ). It is puzzling that this material exhibits a distinctive combination of soft and hard piezoelectric properties, accompanied by large d 33 , small mechanical quality factor ( Q m ), large electric coercive field ( E C ) and high T C . In this work, by temperature‐ and time‐dependent electric‐field‐driven dynamics analysis of Mn‐doped BS–PT ceramics, we demonstrate that domain wall motion in BS–PT is a thermally activated process, explaining its distinctive properties. Minimal Mn doping significantly suppresses ferroelectricity with rapid reduction in remanent polarization. The Mn‐induced defects pin domain boundaries, inhibiting thermally activated domain wall motion. This pinning effect reduces piezoelectric properties but enhances the Q m . Excessive Mn doping generates defect dipoles, causing significant negative electric‐field‐induced strain. These findings provide valuable insight into the mechanisms governing high‐performance and high‐temperature piezoelectric materials.