Correlation between switching and fatigue in PbZr0.3Ti0.7O3 thin films

Fast pulse switching experiments with variable width and amplitude of the write pulse were performed on PbZr0.3Ti0.7O3 thin films and the results were correlated to fatigue measurements with varying frequency and amplitude of the fatigue signal. It was found that small amplitudes in combination with a small pulse width of the write pulse does not provide sufficient switching of the ferroelectric film. Furthermore, for the fatigue measurements, it is shown that the degree of switching caused by the fatigue excitation signal strongly influences the fatigue results. In the case of complete switching, the fatigue behavior is found to be independent of the fatigue frequency and only the number of switching cycles is decisive for the polarization decrease. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)02535-3].