Nucleation-Limited Switching Dynamics Model for Efficient Ferroelectrics Circuit Simulation

The nucleation-limited switching (NLS) model has been shown in the literature to explain successfully the dynamics of polarization switching of polycrystalline ferroelectric films (FE) in various experiments. However, because of its mathematical complexity, the NLS model has yet to be implemented correctly and efficiently in the simulation of actual, experimental circuits with complex driving waveforms. Here, we reformulate NLS as a generalized polarization rate equation that captures correctly the incubation time of nucleation and the intra- and inter-grain switching statistics of kinetics without any restrictions on waveform and switching time scales. This formulation forms the basis for efficient numerical finite-difference computation, which is verified in realistic circuit simulations of a number of experiments.

Automated summary

The nucleation-limited switching (NLS) model has been successful in explaining the dynamics of polarization switching in polycrystalline ferroelectric films in various experiments, but its mathematical complexity has hindered its implementation in realistic circuit simulations with complex driving waveforms. By reformulating NLS as a generalized polarization rate equation, researchers have been able to capture nucleation incubation time and intra- and inter-grain switching statistics accurately, paving the way for efficient numerical finite-difference computation and verification in circuit simulations.