New approach to analysis of the switching current data in ferroelectric thin films

A new approach to analysis of the switching current allows to extract distribution function of the threshold field from the current data recorded during conventional hysteresis loop measurements. Quasi-static switching (domain kinetics in slow-increasing field) in spatially inhomogeneous ferroelectric was investigated by computer simulation. Domain arising (nucleation) and growth was considered under the assumption that the threshold field for appearance of isolated nuclei is essentially higher than for nuclei at the domain wall. The obtained complicated relation between switching current shape and the threshold field distribution function essentially differs from predictions of Preisach approach. The new method has been successively used for analysis of the switching current data measured during cycling in PLZT thin films.