Effect of La modification on antiferroelectricity and dielectric phase transition in sol–gel grown 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 °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 °C has been correlated with the temperature of antiferroelectric 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.