Coupling of Defect Fields to Domains and Phase Transition Characteristics of Ferroelectric Thin Films with Charged Defects

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe analyze the effect of charged defects on the electrical domains, phase transition characteristics and electrical properties of ferroelectric thin films with thin dead layers using a non-linear thermodynamic model. Depending on their density and field strength, defects can pin and couple to electrical domains in the film. For ultrathin films, depolarizing effects dominate and the transition from the paraelectric state is into the multidomain ferroelectric state during cooling and is strongly smeared. The competition between defect induced extrinsic effects and the dead layer related limit is demonstrated.