Unveiling the ac Dynamics of Ferroelectric Domains by Investigating the Frequency Dependence of Hysteresis Loops

TL;DR

This paper explores how ferroelectric domain walls respond to alternating electric fields by examining hysteresis loops across different frequencies and temperatures, revealing a transition between creep and flow motion regimes.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of the frequency-dependent transition in ferroelectric domain dynamics and constructs a dynamic phase diagram based on experimental data.

Findings

Polarization switching driven by thermally activated creep at low frequencies.

Viscous flow motion dominates at higher frequencies.

A dynamic phase diagram illustrating the crossover between regimes.

Abstract

We investigated nonequilibrium domain wall dynamics under an ac field by measuring the hysteresis loops of epitaxial ferroelectric capacitors at various frequencies and temperatures. Polarization switching is induced mostly by thermally activated creep motion at lower frequencies, and by viscous flow motion at higher frequencies. The dynamic crossover between the creep and flow regimes unveils two frequency-dependent scaling regions of hysteresis loops. Based on these findings, we constructed a dynamic phase diagram for hysteretic ferroelectric domain dynamics in the presence of ac fields.