Developed around 1952 at the Tokyo Institute of Technology by Gen Shirane and colleagues, PZT is a solid solution of PbZrO3 and PbTiO3 with higher operating temperature and sensitivity than BaTiO3.
Near the morphotropic phase boundary at x ≈ 0.52 (PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3), tetragonal (6 domain states) and rhombohedral (8 domain states) phases coexist, giving 14 polarization directions and peak piezoelectric response.
PZT drives medical ultrasound transducers, sonar hydrophones, scanning-tunneling-microscope nanopositioners, and lanthanum-doped PLZT electro-optic anti-flash goggles that turn opaque in under 150 microseconds.