| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1267655 | Organic Electronics | 2011 | 6 Pages |
The electrical fatigue characteristics of 100 nm thick, solution processed poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)] copolymer thin film Metal-Ferroelectric-Metal (MFM) capacitors have been studied. After one million stress cycles at an electric field of 1.4 MV/cm and 500 Hz switching frequency, 87% of the initial switching polarization is maintained, with the non-switching polarization remaining low. The kinetics of the switching polarization were studied before and after electrical stress. Fatigue increases the required activation field for switching polarization and suppresses switchable polarization. The activation field increases after electrical stress and higher activation fields were required for higher electric field stressing. The reduction in switchable polarization is approximately 10% of the initial switching polarization for all electric fields and frequencies studied. We demonstrated that under operating conditions compatible with flexible electronic applications, the optimized ferroelectric thin film capacitor reported shows stable switching polarization and acceptable fatigue after electrical stress.
Graphical abstractMetal-Ferroelectric-Metal (MFM) capacitors based on P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer with high switching polarization are fabricated. Voltage and frequency dependence of electric stress (fatigue) of MFM capacitors have been studied. Electric stress induce an increase of the switching polarization activation field. Higher stress voltages induce larger increases on the activation field. Activation field has less dependence on different stress frequencies. A 10% suppression of switchable polarization loss after approximate 1 × 106 cycles is measured in all the characterized conditions.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► After 1 million switching cycles thin-film P(VDF-TrFE) MFM capacitors retain 87% of their initial switching polarization. ► Repeated switching increases the activation field and suppresses switching polarization. ► Higher electric fields increase loss of switchable polarization. ► P(VDF-TrFE) MFM capacitors are a good candidate for non-volatile memory elements in flexible electronics applications.
