Nonvolatile memory element based on a ferroelectric polymer Langmuir-Blodgett film

We report the operation of a potential nonvolatile bistable capacitor memory element consisting of a metal gate, a 170 nm thick ferroelectric Langmuir-Blodgett film of vinylidene fluoride (70%) with trifluoroethylene (30%) copolymer, and a 100 nm thick silicon-oxide insulating layer, all deposited on an n-type silicon semiconductor substrate. The device exhibited clear capacitance hysteresis as the gate voltage was cycled between +/-25 V, with a capacitance dynamic range of 8:1 and threshold voltage shift of 2.8 V. The results are in good agreement with the model of Miller and McWhorter [J. Appl. Phys. 72, 5999 (1992)]. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.