Unraveling the Wake-Up Mechanism in Ultrathin Ferroelectric Hf0.5 Zr0.5O: Interfacial Layer Soft Breakdown and Physical Modeling

Chen Yi Cho, Tzu Yi Chao, Tzu Yao Lin, I. Ting Wang, Sourav De, Yu Sheng Chen, Yi Ching Ong, Yu De Lin, Po Chun Yeh, Tuo Hung Hou*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

This article proposes a new mechanism, referred to as interfacial-layer soft breakdown (IL-SBD), to elucidate the intricate wake-up process in the ultrathin ferroelectric (FE) hafnium-zirconium oxide (HZO). Our study provides a comprehensive interpretation and compelling experimental evidence, highlighting the crucial role of the interfacial layer (IL) and its soft breakdown in the wake-up phenomenon. A multidomain FE wake-up model is developed, incorporating defect generation, trap-assisted tunneling (TAT) within the IL, and charge screening at the IL/HZO interface, validating the proposed mechanism. The model accurately reproduces the trend of thickness-dependent wake-up behavior and reveals additional variability induced by the wake-up process, emphasizing the utmost significance of minimizing the IL in ultrathin HZO devices.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3365-3370
Number of pages6
JournalIEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
Volume71
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 May 2024

Keywords

  • Interfacial layer (IL)
  • soft breakdown
  • thickness scaling
  • ultrathin hafnium-zirconium oxide (HZO)

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