Dynamic properties of polarization switching in ferroelectric thin films

In order to improve the experimental conditions for electron emission from ferroelectric thin films, the dynamic behavior of polarization inversion ha s been studied by the conventional pulse switching method. Thus, it could b e demonstrated that ferroelectric switching mainly depends on the experimen tal geometry and the pulse circuit impedance. Results are presented which i ntroduce the difference between the nominal electric field and the electric field which governs the switching process. In particular, it has be shown that polarization inversion not only starts at the coercive field amplitude but is almost completed at the same field. As a consequence, it is not nec essary to increase the field amplitude in order to reduce the switching tim e.