Electrical Studies Of Barkhausen Switching Noise In Ferroelectric Pzt: Critical Exponents And Temperature Dependence

Crackling noise of ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate samples during ferroelectric switching is demonstrated to be compatible with avalanche statistics. The peaks of the slew rate (time derivative of current dI/dt squared), defined as "jerks," were statistically analyzed and shown to obey power laws. The critical exponent obtained is 1.64 +/- 0.15, in agreement with predictions from avalanche theory. The exponent is independent of temperature within experimental error margins.