Grain size effect on the switching current in soft ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate

Recently, we reported on the appearance of a double peak in the switching current during the reverse poling. In the present paper, the switching current measurements have been carried out on a soft lead zirconate titanate as a function of grain size. While in small grains only a small single switching peak is observed, large grains, however, showed double peak switching, as commonly observed in this material. The pyroelectric coefficient curves show a consistent trend with the switching curves. This behavior is attributed to non-180 degrees domain switching during the reversed poling case as a result of residual stresses developed during forward poling. (C) 2007 American Institute of Physics.