Application of an ultrafast photonic technique to study polarization switching dynamics of thin-film ferroelectric capacitors

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.