Thickness effect on the ferroelectric properties of La-doped HfO2 epitaxial films down to 4.5 nm

Stabilization of the orthorhombic phase of HfO2 with La allows very high polarization and endurance to be achieved. However, these properties have not been confirmed yet in films having a thickness of less than 10 nm. We have grown (111)-oriented La (2 at%) doped epitaxial HfO2 films on SrTiO3(001) and Si(001) substrates, and report on the thickness dependence of their ferroelectric properties. Films of less than 7 nm thickness show a high remanent polarization of about 30 mu C cm(-2), slight wake-up, an endurance of at least 10(10) cycles and a retention of more than 10 years, with the endurance and retention measured at the same poling voltage. La-doped HfO2 films even as thin as 4.5 nm also show robust ferroelectric properties.

Automated summary

La-doped HfO2 films, even as thin as 4.5 nm, exhibit robust ferroelectric properties including high remanent polarization, slight wake-up, endurance of at least 10(10) cycles, and retention of over 10 years.