Demonstration of ferroelectricity in PLD grown HfO<sub>2</sub>-ZrO<sub>2</sub> nanolaminates

Sree Sourav Das; Zach Fox; Md Dalim Mia; Brian C Samuels; Rony Saha; Ravi Droopad; Sree Sourav Das; Zach Fox; Md Dalim Mia; Brian C Samuels; Rony Saha; Ravi Droopad

doi:10.3934/matersci.2023018

AIMS Materials Science

2023, Volume 10, Issue 2: 342-355. doi: 10.3934/matersci.2023018

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Demonstration of ferroelectricity in PLD grown HfO₂-ZrO₂ nanolaminates

1.
Ingram School of Engineering, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX-78666, USA
2.
Materials Science, Engineering and Commercialization, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX-78666, USA

Received: 19 October 2022 Revised: 13 March 2023 Accepted: 22 March 2023 Published: 31 March 2023

Ferroelectricity is demonstrated for the first time in Si(100)/SiO₂/TiN/HfO₂-ZrO₂/TiN stack using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and the effects of temperatures, partial oxygen pressures, and thickness for the stabilization of the ferroelectric phase were mapped. Thin films deposited at a higher temperature and a higher oxygen partial pressure have a higher thickness, demonstrating a better ferroelectric response with ~12 μC/cm² remnant polarization, a leakage current of 10⁻⁷ A (at 8 V) and endurance > 10¹¹ cycles indicative of an orthorhombic crystal phase. In contrast, thin films deposited at lower temperatures and pressures does not exhibit ferroelectric behavior. These films can be attributed to having a dominant monoclinic phase, having lower grain size and increased leakage current. Finally, the effects of ZrO₂ as top and bottom layer were also investigated which showed that ZrO₂ as the top layer provided better mechanical confinement for stabilizing the orthorhombic phase instead of as the bottom layer.
- ferroelectricity,
- pulsed laser deposition,
- remnant polarization,
- leakage current,
- endurance,
- X-ray diffraction
Citation: Sree Sourav Das, Zach Fox, Md Dalim Mia, Brian C Samuels, Rony Saha, Ravi Droopad. Demonstration of ferroelectricity in PLD grown HfO2-ZrO2 nanolaminates[J]. AIMS Materials Science, 2023, 10(2): 342-355. doi: 10.3934/matersci.2023018

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Abstract

Ferroelectricity is demonstrated for the first time in Si(100)/SiO₂/TiN/HfO₂-ZrO₂/TiN stack using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and the effects of temperatures, partial oxygen pressures, and thickness for the stabilization of the ferroelectric phase were mapped. Thin films deposited at a higher temperature and a higher oxygen partial pressure have a higher thickness, demonstrating a better ferroelectric response with ~12 μC/cm² remnant polarization, a leakage current of 10⁻⁷ A (at 8 V) and endurance > 10¹¹ cycles indicative of an orthorhombic crystal phase. In contrast, thin films deposited at lower temperatures and pressures does not exhibit ferroelectric behavior. These films can be attributed to having a dominant monoclinic phase, having lower grain size and increased leakage current. Finally, the effects of ZrO₂ as top and bottom layer were also investigated which showed that ZrO₂ as the top layer provided better mechanical confinement for stabilizing the orthorhombic phase instead of as the bottom layer.

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