Temperature-induced phase transition switching current of Pb0.97La0.02(Zr0.75Sn0.15Ti0.10)O3 antiferroelectric ceramics

Lead lanthanum zirconate stannate titanate [Pb0.97La0.02(Zr0.75Sn0.15Ti0.10)O3, PLZST] antiferroelectric ceramics were successfully fabricated via conventional solid-state reaction. External field-induced phase transitions in these antiferroelectric ceramics near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) were studied as a function of electric field and temperature. Phase transition characteristics were evaluated by the polarization–electric field (P–E) hysteresis loops and showed that upon heating, the PLZST antiferroelectric ceramics underwent typical phase transitions from ferroelectric (FE) to antiferroelectric phase (AFE) and then to paraelectric (PE). The phase switching current was investigated with and without load resistor, and the released energies were calculated by computational methods. An elevated phase transition current of 1.42 μA was obtained upon heating, along with electrical energy outputs ranging between 13.3 μJ and 108.3 μJ. The maximum energy density amounted to 138 μJ/cm2. Therefore, a mechanism was proposed in which high energy was released by controlling the temperature and the switching current during the FE–AFE phase transition. This mechanism might be very useful for future designs of energy conversion transducers that could be utilized in sophisticated weaponry, microelectronic integrated circuits, and intelligent monitoring systems.