Analysis of switching transients in KNO3 ferroelectric memories

We have measured the switching current transient i(t) versus time for 75-nm-thick KNO3 nonvolatile memories having address voltages of 6.3 V and switching times 20–30 ns. The currents are minimum (nearly zero) at t=0 and exhibit a symmetric shape about their maxima at 23±2 ns. This is compatible with Fatuzzo’s theory of sideways domain growth [Phys. Rev. 127, 1999 (1962)] as well as with our earlier results on thickness dependence of coercive field Ec∼d−1.3 and field dependence of switching times ts∼E−1.5. All of the results show that domain growth speed transverse to the applied field is the rate-limiting parameter.