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Utilization of antiferroelectric thin films was proposed for high charge storage capacitors and transducer applications. The volume changes that are associated with the AFE⇒ FE and FE ⇒ AFE phases are high enough to use them in MEMs device technology. Lead zirconate was the first identified antiferroelectric compound with a reported dielectric phase transition temperature of ∼ 230°C. In this article, deposition of lead zirconate thin films by a pulsed excimer laser ablation technique is reported. The antiferroelectric nature of the lead zirconate thin films were confirmed by the presence of double hysteresis loop in polarization vs. applied electric field response as well as double butterfly behavior in capacitance vs. voltage characteristics. The variations in the polarization hysteresis with temperature were elucidated in detail. The switching times between the field induced FE and AFE phases (backward switching) were studied at various applied electric fields.

The dielectric and electrical properties of excimer laser ablated processed paraelectric $(Ba_{0.5},Sr_{0.5})TiO_3$ ferroelectric Bi-layered $SrBi_2(Ta_{0.5}Nb_{0.5})_2O_9$ and antiferroelectric $(PbZrO_3)$ thin films have been investigated. The effect of processing parameters on the microstructure of the films and the functional properties has been presented in detail. Some of the recent studies of stress induced effects, dielectric, hysteresis and ac and dc electrical properties have been highlighted in conjunction with microstructures of the films