Analysis of ferroelectric polarization switching in (NH4)0.39K0.61NO3 films using nucleation limited switching model

Abstract

The polarization switching transients of spray deposited ferroelectric (NH4)0.39K0.61NO3 (NKN) films has been analyzed with nucleation limited switching (NLS) model by considering domain growth limited process. The experimentally measured microscopic polarization switching curves fitted well with NLS model and the characteristic switching times obeyed the Lorentzian distribution function. The local field variation was found to be minimum at pulse amplitude 15 V, which makes the polarization reversal more probable. The value of spontaneous polarization, Ps and coercive field, Ec was found to be 6.58 μC/cm2 and 4.10 kV/cm, respectively. The value of Ps from the switching and P-E loop is in good agreement with each other. The field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images of the NKN film reveal the formation of nanoparticles of NKN.