Effect of substituents with different valences on antiferroelectric stability of antiferroelectric lead zirconate ceramics

The effect of lower valent substituents on the stability of the antiferroel ectric phase of lead zirconate was studied by dielectric spectroscopy, Sawy er-Tower polarization methods, and electron diffraction techniques. The sta bility of an intermediate ferroelectric phase region was found to be enhanc ed with increasing lower valent substitution concentration. The influences of substituents of different ionic size and valence on the stabilization of the intermediate ferroelectric phase were differentiated. Ln general, lowe r valent substituents, such as K+ and Fe3+ affected antiferroelectric phase stability more significantly than higher valent ones.