Ultrafast Polarization Switching in Ferroelectric Polymer Thin Films at Extremely High Electric Fields

Polarization switching dynamics at extremely high electric fields were measured for a 50-nm-thick ferroelectric vinylidene fluoride/trifluoroethylene copolymer film. Using a fast-rise voltage pulse with minimal duration, we obtained a switching time of as fast as 2 ns at an electric field of 800 MV/m without electrical breakdown. Departure from an exponential law toward a power law was detected above 300 MV/m. Distorted switching curves due to limited voltage rise time were shown to be reproducible by means of nonlinear superposition.