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Polarization Mechanisms in P(VDF‐TrFE) Ferroelectric Thin Films
Author(s) -
Choi Andrew C.,
Pramanick Abhijit,
Misture Scott T.,
Paterson Alisa R.,
Jones Jacob L.,
Borkiewicz Olaf C.,
Ren Yang
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
physica status solidi (rrl) – rapid research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.786
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1862-6270
pISSN - 1862-6254
DOI - 10.1002/pssr.201800340
Subject(s) - ferroelectricity , materials science , dielectric , thin film , ferroelectric polymers , polarization (electrochemistry) , polymer , crystallite , electric field , optoelectronics , chemical physics , composite material , nanotechnology , chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , metallurgy
Ferroelectric polymers have gained tremendous attention due to several attractive properties including high breakdown strength, low dielectric loss, relatively fast charge/discharge rates and greater flexibility than their ceramic counterparts. In order to achieve enhanced energy efficiency in high‐energy storage capacitor applications, it is desirable to obtain slim polarization hysteresis loops for ferroelectric polymer films. Here, it has been demonstrated that promotion of large crystallites and γ phase content through thermal annealing provides a cost‐effective way to obtain a quasi‐linear polarization response in a PVDF co‐polymer thin film. The polarization mechanisms underlying a thin hysteresis loop in the thermally annealed film are elucidated using direct experimental insights from in situ synchrotron diffraction with two‐dimensional detection. It has been demonstrated that the susceptibility for electric‐field‐induced structural changes is higher in the defective ferroelectric phase γ than the polar phase β, due to a higher flexibility for accommodation of gauche bond along the carbon chain. In addition, the polymer chains in the γ phase also exhibit a range of different responses depending on their orientations with respect to the electric field. These results are broadly significant as they provide a fundamental basis for rational design of phase assemblages to obtain tailor‐made properties in ferroelectric polymer films.