Search

The liquid source misted chemical deposition (LSMCD) method was employed in the preparation of lead zirconate titanate, Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) thin films. The desired thickness of the films was a...

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.

Antiferroelectric compositions have many potential applications in energy conversion and microelectromechanical systems. Electric field induced phase transitions between ferroelectric and antiferroelectric phases were studied in antiferroelectric lead zirconate and modified lead zirconate titanate stannate family thin films for various smart system applications. Thin films of various antiferroelectric thin film compositions such as $PbZrO_3$, Nb- and La-modified lead zirconate titanate stannate were processed by the pulsed excimer laser ablation technique. Dielectric, hysteresis, pyroelectric and switching properties were studied in detail for a new generation of functional materials. A comparative study of functional properties is presented with these antiferroelectric compositions in comparison with the conventional ferroelectric compositions

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