Modeling Of Ferroelectric Switching Process In Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride-Trifluoroethylene) Copolymer Ultrathin Films With Electroactive Interlayer

A universal model and experiments on the polarization switching for ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) copolymer ultra-thin films with an interface layer have been studied. It is found that polarization switching could complete if the capacitance of the interface layer is large enough compared with that of the ferroelectric film. Based on this model, a conducting polymer, poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonic) acid, is introduced as an interface layer between metal electrodes and ferroelectric polymer film and the switching property measurements well agree with the simulation results of the model. These findings provide an effective route to enhance the polarization switching for the ferroelectric films, which is promising for potential applications. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3677946]