Issue 8, 2023

Anomalously abrupt switching of wurtzite-structured ferroelectrics: simultaneous non-linear nucleation and growth model

Abstract

Ferroelectric polarization switching is one common example of a process that occurs via nucleation and growth, and understanding switching kinetics is crucial for applications such as ferroelectric memory. Here we describe and interpret anomalous switching dynamics in the wurtzite-structured nitride thin film ferroelectrics Al0.7Sc0.3N and Al0.94B0.06N using a general model that can be directly applied to other abrupt transitions that proceed via nucleation and growth. When substantial growth and impingement occur while nucleation rate is increasing, such as in these wurtzite-structured ferroelectrics under high electric fields, abrupt polarization reversal leads to very large Avrami coefficients (e.g., n = 11), inspiring an extension of the KAI (Kolmogorov–Avrami–Ishibashi) model. We apply this extended model to two related but distinct scenarios that crossover between (typical) behavior described by sequential nucleation and growth and a more abrupt transition arising from significant growth prior to peak nucleation rate. This work therefore provides a more complete description of general nucleation and growth kinetics applicable to any system while specifically addressing the anomalously abrupt polarization reversal behavior in new wurtzite-structured ferroelectrics.

Graphical abstract: Anomalously abrupt switching of wurtzite-structured ferroelectrics: simultaneous non-linear nucleation and growth model

Associated articles

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
10 mrt 2023
Accepted
03 mei 2023
First published
03 mei 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Mater. Horiz., 2023,10, 2936-2944

Anomalously abrupt switching of wurtzite-structured ferroelectrics: simultaneous non-linear nucleation and growth model

K. Yazawa, J. Hayden, J. Maria, W. Zhu, S. Trolier-McKinstry, A. Zakutayev and G. L. Brennecka, Mater. Horiz., 2023, 10, 2936 DOI: 10.1039/D3MH00365E

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