Hysteresis relaxation in (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 thin film capacitors with (La,Sr)CoO3 electrodes

We report on the thermally activated hysteresis relaxation effects in (La,Sr)CoO3/ (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3/(La,Sr)CoO3 thin film ferroelectric capacitors. Films cooled in oxygen deficient ambients exhibit a marked voltage offset in the hysteresis loops. Upon the application of a dc bias voltage or unidirectional pulses of the same polarity as the offset, the loops become more symmetric. Subsequently, holding the capacitors in the original preferred polarization state leads to a relaxation of the hysteresis loop towards its original voltage offset condition. The relaxation process is described by a stretched exponential and is thermally activated. © 1996 American Institute of Physics.