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 PP–EE 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 PP–EE 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.