First-order reversal curves diagrams for the characterization of ferroelectric switching

A method to describe the switching characteristics of the ferroelectrics is proposed, using the first-order reversal curve (FORC) diagrams. On these diagrams, the reversible and irreversible contributions to the ferroelectric polarization can be clearly separated. They are extremely sensitive to the changes of the hysteresis loops induced by degradation of the ferroelectric polarization, such as fatigue. Sharp in the fresh state, the FORC distribution becomes wide with its maximum shifted towards higher fields after 10(9) switching cycles. A strong increase of the reversible component was found in the fatigue state. With appropriate interpretation, these diagrams could be valuable as "fingerprints" of the switching characteristics of the ferroelectric systems in a particular state. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.