Ultrahigh-Energy Storage Properties of (PbCa)ZrO3 Antiferroelectric Thin Films via Constructing a Pyrochlore Nanocrystalline Structure

In recent years, antiferroelectric materials have been attracting considerable attention as energy storage capacitors due to their potential applications in pulsed power systems. In this work, antiferroelectric Pb0.88Ca0.12ZrO3 (PCZ) thin films were prepared via chemical solution deposition and annealed using rapid thermal annealing. The microstructures of PCZ thin films were controlled via annealing temperature, and the effects of microstructures on electric properties and energy storage performance were systematically studied. Our results indicate that PCZ thin films annealed at 550 °C crystallized into a nanocrystalline structure of the pyrochlore phase, while also displaying the highest recoverable energy density and efficiency (91.3 J/cm3 and 85.3%). We attribute the ultrahigh energy storage properties mainly to dramatic improvements in the electric breakdown strength caused by the dense nanocrystalline structure. The findings reported herein help to elucidate the relationship between energy storage performance and thin-film microstructure, thereby providing an effective way for improving the energy storage performance of antiferroelectric thin films.