Polarization Switching and Domain Wall Motion in Circular and Ring Capacitor Structures in PZT Thin Films

Ferroelectric switching in circular and ring capacitors has been performed using a stroboscopic mode of piezoresponse force microscopy. A simple geometric model incorporating the characteristic domain wall motion is sufficient to describe the switching of circular capacitors but which however breaks down when attempting to describe the ring switching. Analysis of the switching dynamics implies that the domain wall moves faster along the perimeter of both the circle and ring electrode structures.