Open questions on stabilizing the ferroelectric phase in HfO2/ZrO2 films

Identify the unresolved boundary conditions necessary to stabilize the ferroelectric phase in hafnium oxide and zirconium oxide thin films under realistic integrated circuit fabrication constraints.

Background

The discovery of ferroelectricity in hafnia and zirconia has enabled CMOS-compatible ferroelectric devices. Despite progress in understanding conditions for stabilizing the ferroelectric phase, reliability issues (e.g., imprint, wake-up, fatigue) and phase coexistence with non-ferroelectric phases complicate device performance.

The authors note that while boundary conditions are better understood, multiple questions remain open regarding how to consistently achieve a high fraction of the ferroelectric phase without dead layers and with controlled defect profiles in manufacturable processes.

References

Since the original report on ferroelectricity in hafnium oxide 8 , the boundary conditions for stabilizing the ferroelectric phase have been much better understood, although there are still a number of open questions.

— Roadmap to Neuromorphic Computing with Emerging Technologies (2407.02353 - Mehonic et al., 2 Jul 2024) in Section 5.3.3 (Potential Solutions)