# Domain Switching Kinetics in Disordered Ferroelectric Thin Films

## TL;DR

This paper studies how ferroelectric domains switch in disordered Pb(Zr,Ti)O$_{3}$ films, revealing that domain switching times follow a Lorentzian distribution influenced by local field variations at defect sites.

## Contribution

It introduces a model linking domain switching kinetics to local field variations caused by defects, explaining the distribution of switching times in disordered ferroelectric thin films.

## Key findings

- Switching times follow a Lorentzian distribution.
- Local field variations due to defects influence domain pinning.
- Domain motion can be modeled as movement through a random medium.

## Abstract

We investigated domain kinetics by measuring the polarization switching behaviors of polycrystalline Pb(Zr,Ti)O$_{3}$ films, which are widely used in ferroelectric memory devices. Their switching behaviors at various electric fields and temperatures could be explained by assuming the Lorentzian distribution of domain switching times. We viewed the switching process under an electric field as a motion of the ferroelectric domain through a random medium, and we showed that the local field variation due to dipole defects at domain pinning sites could explain the intriguing distribution.