piezoelectric hysteresis

piezoelectric hysteresis

[pē¦ā·zō·ə′lek·trik ‚his·tə′rē·səs]

(solid-state physics)

Behavior of a piezoelectric crystal whose electric polarization depends not only on the mechanical stress to which the crystal is subjected, but also on the previous history of this stress.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.