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2012
Journal Article
Titel
Ten-nanometer ferroelectric Si:HfO2 films for next-generation FRAM capacitors
Abstract
Ferroelectric properties of Si-doped HfO2 thin films (10 nm) have been investigated. The focus of this letter is to evaluate the potential applicability of these thin films for future 3-D ferroelectric random access memory capacitors. Polarization switching was tested at elevated temperatures up to 185 degrees C and showed no severe degradation. Domain switching dynamics were electrically characterized with pulse-switching tests and were not in accordance with Kolmogorov-Avrami-type switching. Nucleation-limited switching is proposed to be applicable for these new types of ferroelectric thin films. Furthermore, same-state and opposite-state retention tests were performed at 125 degrees C up to 20 h. It was found that samples that had previously been annealed at 800 degrees C showed improved retention of the written state as well as of the opposite state. In addition, fatigue measurements were carried out, and no degradation occurred for 10(6) programming and erase cycles at 3 V.