The (Pb,Nb)(Zr,Sn,Ti)O-3 (PNZST) antiferroelectric thin films were prepared on two different substrates by sol-gel methods. Films derived on the LNO/Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates showed a strong (100) preferred orientation. The dependence of electrical properties derived on the Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si and LNO/Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates have been studied, with the emphasis placed on field-induced phase switching from the antiferroectric to the ferroelectric state. The PNZST thin films deposition on two kinds of substrates show different phase transition behavior and associated properties such as antiferroelectric (AFE) to ferroelectric (FE) switching field EAFE-FE, FE to AFE switching field EFE-AFE and the hysteresis DeltaE=EAFE-FE-EFE-AFE. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.