Polarization fatigue mechanism of laminated hafnium zirconium oxide ferroelectric thin films

Abstract

Laminated HfO2-based ferroelectric thin films (FE-HfO2) have offered unexpected opportunities to implement the high-density ferroelectric memory and on chip piezoelectric or pyroelectric devices. But the polarization fatigue performance is poor and the underlying mechanism is unknown. In this work, we comprehensively investigate the polarization fatigue behaviors of Hf0.5Zr0.5O2(HZO)/Al2O3/HZO laminated thin films. Several possible mechanisms for the fatigue performances are discussed in detail. On basis of the analysis of micro-structures and domain switching dynamics before and after fatigue, we confirm that domain wall pinning phenomenon exists in the fatigued laminated HZO, without field-induced phase transition as well as thickness and chemical properties changes of interfacial layers. Moreover, we discover by a pulse measurement method that domain wall pinning induced by the increase of Al2O3/HZO interface trap charge is responsible for the fatigue performances of the laminated films. This work will provide useful guidance for designing high-reliability laminated FE-HfO2, and contribute to understand the physical mechanisms of FE-HfO2.