Fabrication and characterization of (1− x)SrBi 2Ta 2O 9– xBi 3TaTiO 9 layered structure solid solution thin films for ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM) applications

Abstract

We report on the properties of (1− x)SrBi 2Ta 2O 9– xBi 3TaTiO 9 solid solution thin films for ferroelectric non-volatile memory applications. The solid solution thin films fabricated by modified metalorganic solution deposition technique showed much improved properties compared to SrBi 2Ta 2O 9. A pyrochlore free crystalline phase was obtained at a low annealing temperature of 600°C and grain size was found to be considerably increased for the solid solution compositions. The film properties were found to be strongly dependent on the composition and annealing temperatures. The measured dielectric constant of the solid solution thin films was in the range 180–225 for films with 10–50% of Bi 3TaTiO 9 content in the solid solution. Ferroelectric properties of (1− x)SrBi 2Ta 2O 9– xBi 3TaTiO 9 thin films were significantly improved compared to SrBi 2Ta 2O 9. For example, the observed remanent polarization (2 P r) and coercive field ( E c) values for films with 0.7SrBi 2Ta 2O 9–0.3Bi 3TaTiO 9 composition, annealed at 650°C, were 12.4 μC/cm 2 and 80 kV/cm, respectively. The solid solution thin films showed less than 5% decay of the polarization charge after 10 10 switching cycles and good memory retention characteristics after about 10 6 s of memory retention. The improved microstructural and ferroelectric properties of (1− x)SrBi 2Ta 2O 9– xBi 3TaTiO 9 thin films compared to SrBi 2Ta 2O 9, especially at lower annealing temperatures, suggest their suitability for high density FRAM applications.