MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERIZATION OF LOW-FIELD SWITCHING IN FERROELECTRIC TRIGLYCINE SULFATE

Low-field (<1 kV/cm) switching has been investigated for thin plates ( 0.06<d<0.15 cm) of triglycine sulfate by means of field pulses with a linear rise time. The dependence of the maximum current density, j(m), with the field value E-m at which this maximum occurs is j(m)congruen t to B-1 (E-m - E-cw1)(3/2), for 0.3<E-m<0.5 kV/cm, and j(m)congruent to B-2(E-m - E-cw2), for 0.5<E-m<1.0 kV/cm. This is satisfactorily exp lained taking into account the dominant role played by sidewise and fo rward domain wall motion, respectively. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(98)01619-3]