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 language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 3365-3370 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices |
Volume | 71 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 May 2024 |
Keywords
- Interfacial layer (IL)
- soft breakdown
- thickness scaling
- ultrathin hafnium-zirconium oxide (HZO)