Anomalous change of carrier transport property of ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin films in the first poling treatment

Carrier transport properties of ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin films have been investigated on a metal-ferroelectric-metal (MFM) capacitor in the first current flow of ferroelectric poling treatment. In the current-voltage (I-V) measurement of the MFM capacitor, a kink or discontinuity point of the derivative in the I-V characteristics appears, and after a cyclic voltage sweep this kink disappears. This phenomenon is different from the ferroelectric instabilities after application of several thousand or million voltage cycles reported as wake-up and fatigue. From the analysis using a Poole-Frenkel plot of the I-V characteristics, it is suggested that irreversible trap generation by electric field application occurs in poling treatment.

Automated summary

This study investigates the carrier transport properties of ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin films. In the first current flow of ferroelectric poling treatment, a kink or discontinuity point appears in the current-voltage characteristics, which disappears after cyclic voltage sweeps. This phenomenon is different from the reported ferroelectric instabilities of wake-up and fatigue. Analysis using a Poole-Frenkel plot suggests the occurrence of irreversible trap generation induced by electric field application in the poling treatment.