Piezoelectric materials are smart materials that sense changes in the environment, respond to these changes in predetermined stimuli, and act as combined sensor/actuator ceramic materials. Nonlinear electrostrictive relaxors (PLZT and PMN) are smart piezoelectric ceramics that respond to changes in their environment by reacting and tuning one or more of their properties to optimize their behavior. Multifunctionality is a key concept of such materials, which can be exploited with all ingenuity in the miniaturization and integration of modern devices that design engineers can muster. Present market trends show that the future for piezoelectric ceramics is bright, and these devices will become smarter and smarter as technological applications demand. More and more piezoelectric ceramic materials will emerge as a result of the relentless drive to meet the trends of applications.

This book encourages more materials research efforts to develop better ferroelectric and electrostrictive ceramics for future applications and discusses several methods based on their cost and applications. Each chapter in the book is unique as it is written by eminent authors from various renowned institutions who share their research experiences on electrically active smart and very smart materials. The book presents bulk, thick-film, and thin-film forms of these materials that have now proved their worth and constitute a strong portfolio for future applications in electronics.