The temperature dependence of the polarization in thin phosphosilicate glass (PSG) films is characterized by an activation energy ΔH = (0.39 + 0.039Et) eV, whereas the decay mechanism has an activation energy of 0.5 eV. The flatband voltage shift due to PSG polarization was linear with applied fields as large as 5.5 × 106 V cm−1. The effective time constants for the polarization and depolarization are distinctly different. Polarization occurs an order of magnitude faster than depolarization. A physical model has been postulated to explain the observed effects.