Probing Hf_0.5Zr_0.5O₂ Ferroelectricity: Neutron Reflectivity Reveals Critical Interface Effects.

ABSTRACT: Ferroelectric Hf_0.5Zr_0.5O₂ (HZO) thin films emerge as promising candidates for next-generation memory devices; however, the device performance is strongly correlated to the interfacial structure. In this study, neutron reflectivity was used for the first time to conduct an in-depth analysis of the ferroelectric W/HZO/W devices, leveraging the high sensitivity of neutron scattering length density (SLD) to the buried interfaces. We explored the impact of different atomic layer deposition (ALD) techniques─thermal, plasma, and atomic layer annealing (ALA)─on the structural and ferroelectric characteristics of HZO thin films, with a particular focus on interfacial structures. Analyses using neutron reflectivity, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy,

SUBMITTER: Chen HY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11912186 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature