(Invited) Ferroelectric Hafnium Oxide Based Materials and Devices: Assessment of Current Status and Future Prospects

Abstract

Bound to complex perovskite systems, ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM) suffers from limited CMOS-compatibility and faces severe scaling issues in today´s and future technology nodes. Nevertheless, compared to its current-driven non-volatile memory contenders, the field-driven FRAM excels in terms of low voltage operation and power consumption and therewith has managed to claim embedded as well as stand-alone niche markets. However, in order to overcome this restricted field of application, a material innovation is needed. With the ability to engineer ferroelectricity in HfO₂, a high-k dielectric well established in memory and logic devices, a new material choice for improved manufacturability and scalability of future 1T and 1T-1C ferroelectric memories has emerged. This paper reviews the recent progress in this emerging field and critically assesses its current and future potential. Moreover, a general understanding of the thin film properties and stabilization mechanism of ferroelectric HfO₂ will be given. Suitable memory concepts as well as new applications will be proposed accordingly.