Hysteresis loops of ferroelectric bilayers and superlattices

• Main Authors: Chew, Khian Hooi, Tilley, D.R., Ong, L.H., Osman, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: AIP Publishing 2000
• Subjects: QC Physics
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/8192/1/Chew-2000-Hysteresis_loops_of.pdf; http://eprints.um.edu.my/8192/; http://apl.aip.org/resource/1/applab/v77/i17/p2755_s1

A ferroelectric superlattice with an antiferroelectric interfacial coupling is considered; the same model describes a bilayer with antiferroelectric coupling. By mapping minimum points in the Landau free energy expression and plotting them against the applied electric field, a triple hysteresis loop pattern is obtained. The loop patterns vary between typically ferroelectric and typically antiferroelectric depending on the layer thicknesses and the magnitude of the interfacial-coupling constant. This work suggests the possibility of designing multilayer elements for computer memories with four or more different storage states. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)03843-2].