Effect of La modification on antiferroelectricity and dielectric phase transition in sol-gel grown PbZrO3 thin films

Antiferroelectricity of sol-gel grown pure and La modified PbZrO3 thin films, with a maximum extent of 6 mol%, has been characterized by temperature dependent P-E hysteresis loops within the applied electric field of 60 MV/m. It has been seen that on extent of La modification electric field induced phase transformation can be altered and at 40 degrees C its maximum value has been observed at +/- 38 MV/m on 6 mol% modifications whereas the minimum value is +/- 22 MV/m on 1 mol%. On La modification the variation of electric field induced phase transformations at 40 degrees C has been correlated with the temperature of ntiferroelectric phase condensation on cooling. The critical electric fields for saturated P-E hysteresis loops have been defined from field dependent maximum polarizations and their variations on La modification show a similar trend as found in their dielectric phase transition temperatures. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.