Stochastic ferroelectric switching of lead zirconate titanate thin films

• Published in: The European physical journal. B, Condensed matter physics Vol. 74; no. 4; pp. 475 - 477
• Main Authors: Marino, S., Lepreti, F., Carbone, V., Scaramuzza, N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.04.2010; EDP Sciences; Springer
• Subjects: Analysis; Complex Systems; Condensed Matter Physics; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Dielectric films; Dielectric thin films; Dielectrics, piezoelectrics, and ferroelectrics and their properties; Exact sciences and technology; Ferroelectricity and antiferroelectricity; Fluid- and Aerodynamics; Lead compounds; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Solid State and Materials; Solid State Physics; Switching phenomena; Technology application; Thin films; Zirconium; Lead Zirconate Titanate; Ferroelectric Domain; Switching Event; Ferroelectric Film; Polarization Switch; Stochastic model; Polarization; Mean field approximation; Statistical analysis; Asymmetry; Double well model; Ferroelectric domain; Ferroelectric switching; Spin-on coating; PZT; Sol-gel process; Ferroelectric thin films
• ISSN: 1434-6028; 1434-6036
• DOI: 10.1140/epjb/e2010-00119-1

We investigate the repolarization phenomenon in a ferroelectric film. Our ferroelectric sample was lead zirconate titanate (PZT) obtained by sol-gel synthesis and deposited by spin coating on ITO/glass substrate. A series of repolarizations were induced in the ferroelectric film by applying a triangular wave and the current peaks related to the switchings of the ferroelectric domains were acquired for statistical analyses. It is shown that the dynamics and statistics of polarization switchings are well simulated by a simple mean-field model in which a double-well, asymmetric potential is included to describe the asymmetry at the PZT-ITO interface.