Surface modification and preservation of bulk properties of piezoelectric ceramics under the exposure to hydrogen plasma flow

Experimental results of pulsed hydrogen plasma impact on piezoelectric ceramics on the example of domestic composition CTSNV-1 are presented. Significant changes in the elemental composition and surface topography were revealed with a characteristic depth of the modified layer of the order of 20 $\mu$m. The study of piezoelectric properties of CTSNV-1 after exposure to hydrogen plasma (integral particle flux to $\sim$10$^{23}$m$^{-2}$, energy $\sim$100 eV) showed a decrease in the electromechanical coupling coefficient of the thickness mode $k_t$ samples (from $\sim$0.6 to $\sim$0.3) while keeping the piezoelectric constant values $d_{33}$ within 450 $\pm$ 50 pm/V and dielectric constant $\varepsilon_{33}$ within 2250 $\pm$ 560, which corresponds to the manufacturer's data on the spread of these values for standard samples.