Electric field inhomogeneity as a cause for fatigue in lead zirconate titanate ferroelectrics

The profile of ferroelectric fatigue in lead zirconate titanate ceramic in the thickness direction was investigated by thinning the fatigued samples continuously from both sides symmetrically. The electrical properties of fatigued samples exhibited a gradual recovery with the samples being thinned and then remained nearly unchanged, however, well below the values at fresh state. The results revealed that fatigue was not limited to the near-electrode regions, but throughout the ceramic samples in the thickness direction. The electric field inhomogeneity in ferroelectric ceramics during bipolar switching was proposed to be responsible for ferroelectric fatigue and the fatigue profile through phase decomposition.