Kinetic approach for describing the fatigue effect in ferroelectrics

A new kinetic approach is proposed for explaining the fatigue effect in ferroelectrics. A self-consistent variation in the area and geometry of the switching region of a sample upon a cyclic switching accompanied by the formation and growth of kinetically frozen domains is considered. It is assumed that fatigue is due to self-organized formation of a spatially inhomogeneous internal bias field due to retardation of bulk screening of the depolarization field. Variations in the switching charge and in the amplitude of switching current, which are calculated with the help of computer simulation of domain kinetics upon cyclic switching, are in good agreement with experimental data obtained for thin lead zirconate-titanate (PZT) thin films.