%0 Journal Article
%K Polarization switching
%K Computer simulation
%K Numerical analysis
%K Ferroelectric thin films
%K Optical switches
%K Capacitors
%K Photoconductivity
%K Light polarization
%K Ultrafast phenomena
%K Ferroelectric capacitor
%K Photoconductive switch
%K Ultrafast detection
%A J Li
%A H Liang
%A B Nagaraj
%A W Cao
%A C.H Lee
%A Ramamoorthy Ramesh
%B Journal of Lightwave Technology
%D 2003
%G eng
%P 3282-3291
%R 10.1109/JLT.2003.819781
%T Application of an ultrafast photonic technique to study polarization switching dynamics of thin-film ferroelectric capacitors
%V 21
%X We demonstrate the use of jitter-free ultrafast rise-time electrical pulses generated by a semiconductor photo-conductive switch with femtosecond laser illumination to study the fast polarization switching process in fully integrated, ferroelectric PNZT thin-film capacitors. The necessary conditions for high-speed polarization switching detection are presented. The switching behavior for various sizes of capacitors and various rise-times of applied voltage pulses are investigated. Circuit influence on the activation field, α, as well as application of the Inshibashi-Merz model, are discussed. © 2003 IEEE.