Stabilization of ferroelectric HfxZr1−xO2 films using a millisecond flash lamp annealing technique

Éamon O’Connor,Marilyne Sousa,Jean Fompeyrine,Mattia Halter,Stefan Abel,Felix Eltes,Andrew Kellock

doi:10.1063/1.5060676

Abstract

We report on the stabilization of ferroelectric HfxZr1−xO2 (HZO) films crystallized using a low thermal budget millisecond flash lamp annealing technique. Utilizing a 120 s 375 °C preheat step combined with millisecond flash lamp pulses, ferroelectric characteristics can be obtained which are comparable to that achieved using a 300 s 650 °C rapid thermal anneal. X-ray diffraction, capacitance voltage, and polarization hysteresis analysis consistently point to the formation of the ferroelectric phase of HZO. A remanent polarization (Pr) of ∼21 μC/cm2 and a coercive field (Ec) of ∼1.1 MV/cm are achieved in 10 nm thick HZO layers. Such a technique promises a new alternative solution for low thermal budget formation of ferroelectric HZO films.

Highlights

HfO2 based ferroelectric films have become of increased interest in recent years since the report of ferroelectricity in the HfO2 material system by Boscke et al.[1]
We report on HZO films where ferroelectric behavior is demonstrated using a millisecond flash lamp annealing (FLA) process
This technique involves pre-heating a sample at an intermediate temperature prior to the delivery of an energy pulse of millisecond duration using an array of xenon flash lamps.[14]

Summary

Introduction

HfO2 based ferroelectric films have become of increased interest in recent years since the report of ferroelectricity in the HfO2 material system by Boscke et al.[1].

Results

Conclusion