ZrO2 Ferroelectric Field-Effect Transistors Enabled by the Switchable Oxygen Vacancy Dipoles

• Main Authors: Huan Liu, Yue Peng, Genquan Han, Yan Liu, Ni Zhong, Chungang Duan, Yue Hao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SpringerOpen 2020-05-01
• Series: Nanoscale Research Letters
• Subjects: FeFET; ZrO2; Memory; Germanium; Amorphous
• Online Access: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s11671-020-03353-6

Abstract This paper investigates the impacts of post-rapid thermal anneal (RTA) and thickness of ZrO2 on the polarization P and electrical characteristics of TaN/ZrO2/Ge capacitors and FeFETs, respectively. After the RTA ranging from 350 to 500 °C, TaN/ZrO2/Ge capacitors with 2.5 and 4 nm-thick amorphous ZrO2 film exhibit the stable P. It is proposed that the ferroelectric behavior originates from the migration of the voltage-driven dipoles formed by the oxygen vacancies and negative charges. FeFETs with 2.5 nm, 4 nm, and 9 nm ZrO2 demonstrate the decent memory window (MW) with 100 ns program/erase pulses. A 4-nm-thick ZrO2 FeFET has significantly improved fatigue and retention characteristics compared to devices with 2.5 nm and 9 nm ZrO2. The retention performance of the ZrO2 FeFET can be improved with the increase of the RTA temperature. An MW of ~ 0.46 V is extrapolated to be maintained over 10 years for the device with 4 nm ZrO2.