The Switching Mechanisms of Antiferroelectrics Learned by Programming Hysteresis Double‐Loops

Antiferroelectric (AFE) materials are promising for various applications in electronic devices and energy‐related systems. While the switching mechanisms of ferroelectric (FE) materials have been extensively studied, those of AFE materials still require substantial investigation. Here, we investigate the switching mechanism in hafnia‐based AFE capacitors by probing the bias‐dependent evolution of their double‐loop polarization–voltage hysteresis. We systematically track the voltage shifts of the four current peaks in the double‐loop hysteresis as functions of set voltage and stress time. We observe two distinct features: a threshold‐activated voltage shift of the switching current peaks and a polarity‐selective narrowing of the hysteresis sub‐loops. While a conventional uniform charge screening model accounts for the first feature, it fails to capture the second. The subtle disparities in the evolution of the four current peaks are instead captured by a phase‐field model that incorporates domain nucleation and domain wall motion with localized imprint. This work clarifies the switching mechanisms in AFE capacitors and suggests device applications grounded in this mechanistic understanding.