Stress Effects on Stabilizing Antiferroelectric Phase in Multilayer Ceramics

Controllable phase transformation between antiferroelectric (AFE) and ferroelectric (FE) states suggests multifunctional properties valuable for many device applications. Compared to AFE bulk ceramics with large voltage required for driving electric field-induced phase transition, implementation of structures comprising multiple thin AFE ceramic layers can realize applications by reducing the switching operation voltage in the feasible range. Here, it is found that a compressive residual stress is developed in multilayer (Pb-0.97,La-0.02)(Zr-0.66,Sn-x,Ti0.34-x)O-3 (PLZST) ceramic co-fired with multiple Pd/Ag electrode layers, and the compressive residual stress can stabilize AFE phase. AFE phase forms in the PLZST multilayer ceramic with composition corresponding to FE in the bulk materials. Thermodynamic analysis based on free energy of FE and AFE phases well explains the FE to AFE phase transformation observed in the multilayer ceramic under the compressive stress. The findings exhibit a new strategy to tune structure and functional properties of multilayer ceramics through stress engineering for achieving device applications.