Study on the degradation mechanism of the ferroelectric properties of thin Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 films on TiN and Ir electrodes

Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 films could show excellent ferroelectricity with a large remanent polarization (Pr, > 16 mu C/cm(2)) on TiN and Ir electrodes, but their Pr decreased with the increasing thickness and monoclinic phase portion. The critical thickness for the degradation of the ferroelectricity of Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 films was smaller on the Ir electrode than the TiN electrode. This was due to the formation of larger grains, favorable for the formation of the monoclinic phase, on the Ir electrode than on the TiN electrode. The oxygen supply from IrOx exaggerated the initial growth on the Ir electrode and formed the larger grains. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.