Low thermal hysteresis pyroelectric response near the ferroelectric/antiferroelectric phase transition in Pb0.97La0.02(Zr0.42Sn0.40Ti0.18)O3 ceramics

The phase state of Pb0.97La0.02(Zr0.42Sn0.40Ti0.18)O-3 (PLZST2) ceramics was studied by transmission electron microscopy analysis as well as polarization versus electric field (P-E) hysteresis loops. The initial state of this PLZST2 composition is ferroelectric (FE) and it transforms into antiferroelectric (AFE) as temperature increases. Change in polarization during this FE/AFE phase transition results in large pyroelectric response. A pyroelectric coefficient maximum about 220 x 10(-8) C cm(-2) K-1 is obtained for 3 kV/mm poled sample. Reversible pyroelectric response with large pyroelectric coefficient (>75 x 10(-8) C cm(-2) K-1) and low thermal hysteresis (<1.5 degrees C) is obtained under a dc bias of 0.6 kV/mm. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3476284]