Light Influence on Fatigue in PZT Films with Planar Electrodes

Abstract

ABSTRACTA set of fatigue measurements has been performed on RF-sputtered PZT films of about 2 urn in thickness. Polarization switching characteristics with the sinusoidal ac electric field applied were studied both with sandwich and planar electrodes. Planar structure has allowed one to study the influence of the free charge carriers induced by UV -illumination in the planar capacitor gap. The fatigue became noticeable after 106 switching cycles for a sandwich structure and after 109 cycles for the films with planar electrodes. Illuminating the film during polarization switching greatly accelerates the fatigue process. The additional fatigue induced by the photoactive light was completely reversible.