Samples with the composition of 0.07Pb(Mn1/3Nb2/3)O-3-0.468PbZrO(3)-0.462PbTiO(3) was prepared in this study. A novel process was adapted to lower the sintering temperature without properties deterioration. The sintering process includes a vacuumed heating stage, a air-venting heating stage, and a final sintering at 1050 degrees C with certain holding time without PbO compensating atmosphere. The influence of holding time at the final sintering stage on the characteristics of the ceramics was studied. The air-venting stage caused a large shrinkage (about 10%) and then slowing down the shrinking rate when the sample was heated up from 800 to 1050 degrees C. The relationships between the crystalline characteristics and physical properties, such as microstructure, the mechanical quality factor (Q(m)), and electromechanical coupling factor (k(p)), are discussed in this paper. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.