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Vol. 18 (2026)

Dual-Piezo-Charge Strategy in (1–0)–3 Single-Crystal Composite for Enhancing Underwater Acoustic Sensing

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-026-02102-1
Yu Lei
School of Aerospace Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, People’s Republic of China
Xiaotian Li
College of Semiconductors (College of Integrated Circuits), Hunan University, Changsha 410082, People’s Republic of China
Zewei Hou
School of Aerospace Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, People’s Republic of China
Bing Wang
Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518061, People’s Republic of China
Shuguang Zheng
Electronic Materials Research Laboratory, Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education and International Center for Dielectric Research, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, People’s Republic of China
Yang Wei
College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou 213200, People’s Republic of China
Zhonghui Yu
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China
Jiawang Hong
School of Aerospace Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, People’s Republic of China
Shuxiang Dong
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Shuxiang Dong

sxdong@pku.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 18 (2026), Article Number: 259

Abstract

Piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers (PUTs) are extensively used in diverse technological fields, yet further enhancement in acoustic sensitivity and hydrostatic figure of merit dhgh have plateaued in conventional 1–3 piezocomposites, whose structures have remained largely unchanged for decades. Herein, we report a (1–0)–3 single-crystal piezocomposite (SCPC) based on the [011]-oriented Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (PIN-PMN-PT) single-crystal, featuring a dual-piezo-charge (DPC) mechanism arising from the piezoelectric and piezoelectret synergy effect. The ordered and polar 0-phase microholes with aligned dipoles are intentionally introduced in 1-phase piezo-pillars, yielding a uniquely low effective dielectric constant, reduced acoustic impedance, and DPC properties unattainable in conventional SCPCs. Both Simulations and experiments confirm that this DPC mechanism in (1–0)–3 SCPC enables an ultrahigh dhgh of ~ 8089 × 10−15 m2 N−1, representing increases of 443.2% and 890.6% over commercial 1–3 SCPC and 1–3 piezoceramic composite, respectively. The engineered microhole structure and DPC strategy also significantly enhance underwater acoustic sensitivity while maintaining a broad − 3 dB bandwidth of 130 kHz, crucial for maritime safety and collision avoidance. Meanwhile, the long-term testing further verifies the PUT’s operational stability. This design approach offers a promising pathway for next-generation piezocomposites and PUT technologies.


Highlights:
1 (1–0)–3 single-crystal piezocomposite (SCPC) based on [011]-oriented relaxor PIN-PMN-PT crystal was fabricated via a modified method combining 3D printing-assisted dice-and-insert with dice-and-fill techniques.
2 The (1–0)–3 SCPC, characterized by ordered and poled microholes and incorporating a dual-piezo-charge mechanism, achieves an ultrahigh hydrostatic figure of merit dhgh of about 8089 × 10−15 m2 N−1.
3 The ultrasound transducer based on (1–0)–3 SCPC exhibits a ~ 70% enhancement in underwater acoustic sensitivity while maintaining a broad − 3 dB bandwidth of 130 kHz.

Keywords

(1–0)–3 single crystal piezocomposite Dual-piezo-charge mechanism Hydrostatic figure of merit Piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers Acoustic sensitivity
Lei, Yu, Xiaotian Li, Zewei Hou, Bing Wang, Shuguang Zheng, Yang Wei, Zhonghui Yu, Jiawang Hong, and Shuxiang Dong. 2026. “Dual-Piezo-Charge Strategy in (1–0)–3 Single-Crystal Composite for Enhancing Underwater Acoustic Sensing”. Nano-Micro Letters 18 (February):259. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-026-02102-1.
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