Switching related activation field for polarization-reversal and for polarization-saturation in PVA based NaNO2–CsNO3 mixed system composite films fabricated at moderate elevated temperature

Abstract We investigated switching behavior in PVA based NaNO2-CsNO3 mixed system composite films fabricated at moderate elevated temperature. The switching transients in ‘ceramic-polymer mixed system’ exhibiting best ferroelectric response optimized with CsNO3 mole% 0.09 have been analyzed by two different approaches. Following Landauer approach, an activation field is calculated by measuring the rate at which ‘polarization switching’ takes place; it is calculated by measuring average polarization current under the switching transient over the switching time. In second approach, another kind of activation field is calculated by measuring maximum value of polarization current attained in the transient. The calculation of the activation field in the former approach gives the value of minimum field required to take the sample into its saturated state of polarization during the life time of the experiment whereas the one calculated from later approach helps to find the activation field which is just sufficient to initiate the state of polarization reversal.