Four switching categories for thin-film and bulk ferroelectrics

TL;DR

This paper classifies ferroelectric switching behaviors into four categories based on depolarization and polarization reversal effects, applying a generalized statistical model to all cases and comparing it with traditional models.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive classification scheme for ferroelectric switching and extends a recent statistical model to all categories, enhancing understanding of switching dynamics.

Findings

The model applies to all four switching categories.

Comparison with Kolmogorov-Avrami-Ishibashi model highlights differences.

Behavior of switching currents varies with different n values.

Abstract

We classify the switching kinetics of ferroelectrics including both epitaxial/polycrystalline thin films and single-crystalline/ceramic bulks at various applied fields into four categories, depending on whether the depolarization field and/or the polarization reversal induced by the switching promotion effect between adjacent parts can be neglected. We show that our statistical model developed very recently [Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 21, 012207 (2009)] in its generalized form applies to all these four categories. Finally we make the comparison between our model and the conventional Kolmogorov-Avrami-Ishibashi model and discuss the behavior of the switching currents for different n.