Nanosecond Domain Wall Dynamics in Ferroelectric Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ Thin Films

Domain wall motion during polarization switching in ferroelectric thin films is fundamentally important and poses challenges for both experiments and modeling. We have visualized the switching of a Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ capacitor using time-resolved x-ray microdiffraction. The structural signatures of switching include a reversal in the sign of the piezoelectric coefficient and a change in the intensity of x-ray reflections. The propagation of polarization domain walls is highly reproducible from cycle to cycle of the electric field. Domain wall velocities of 40  m s^-1 are consistent with the results of other methods, but are far less than saturation values expected at high electric fields.