Investigation on switching kinetics in epitaxial Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 ferroelectric thin films:: Role of the 90° domain walls

Ferroelectric switching behavior of single-crystal-like epitaxial Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O-3 thin films with different densities of 90 degrees domain walls was investigated under various applied fields. It was found that the saturated switchable polarization of about 170 mu C/cm(2) did not vary with applied field in the films with low density or no 90 degrees domain walls and obeys Kolmogorov-Avrami-Ishibashi theory. The presence of the 90 degrees domain walls inhibits the motion of 180 degrees domain walls, contributing to the change of the switching kinetics to nucleation-limited-switching model. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.