FREEZING OF POLARIZATION IN A PB(ZR,TI)O-3 FILM OBSERVED BY STRAIN IMAGING

Strain imaging of piezoelectric material enables us to observe fluctua tions in ferroelectric properties with high spatial resolution. We obs erved the local freezing of polarization in 150 nm thick Pb(Zr, Ti)O-3 with platinum electrodes subjected to hydrogen annealing using strain imaging. The polarization remains downward, when the applied voltage is below 3V(pp). This is caused by a positive internal electric field produced by space charges created in areas with upper platinum electro des. The freezing of polarization induces a significant reduction in r emanent polarization but does not cause large changes in permittivity.