Record Endurance (> 10<sup>12</sup> Cycles), High Polarization (2P<sub>r</sub> > 50 μC/cm<sup>2</sup>), and 10-Year Data Retention (85°C) in HZO Capacitors with Well-Ordered Ferroelectric Domain Structures via 2D-WS<sub>2</sub> Interface
Seungkwon Hwang, Hojung Jang, Kyumin Lee, Laeyong Jung, Jongwon Yoon, Jung‐Dae Kwon, Kyung Song, Yonghun Kim, Hyunsang Hwang
Abstract
We demonstrate high-performance <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\text{Hf}_{0.5}\text{Zr}_{0.5}\mathrm{O}_{2}$</tex> (HZO)-based ferroelectric capacitors with vertically well-ordered domain structures by integrating a multi-functional ultra-thin 2D-WS2 bottom interfacial layer. The 2D-WS2 layer enhances interfacial stability by suppressing defects and protecting the HZO interface from unwanted chemical reactions during the ALD process. Serving as a seed layer, 2D-WS2 ensures vertically well-ordered domain structures in HZO. This integration results in excellent ferroelectricity in the pristine state, reduced operating voltage, and superior aligned domain structures. Our capacitors exhibit record endurance <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$(> 10^{12}$</tex> cycles) with high polarization <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$(2\mathrm{P}_{\mathrm{r}} > 50 \ \mu \mathrm{C}/\text{cm}^{2}$</tex> even after 10<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">12</sup> cycles) and data retention for over 10 years at 85°C. Additionally, we achieve significantly improved device-to-device uniformity and high reliability in nano-scale HZO devices.