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Research Article | Open Access

Improved ferroelectric properties of CMOS back-end-of-line compatible Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin films by introducing dielectric layers

Changfan Jua, Binjian Zenga( ), Ziqi Luoa, Zhibin Yanga, Puqi Haoa, Luocheng Liaoa, Qijun Yangb, Qiangxiang Penga( ), Shuaizhi Zhenga, Yichun Zhoub, Min Liaoa,b( )
Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials and Application Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105, China
School of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Xidian University, Xi'an, 710126, China

Peer review under responsibility of The Chinese Ceramic Society.

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Graphical Abstract

Abstract

Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO) ferroelectric thin films have gained significant attention for the development of next-generation ferroelectric memories by complementary-metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) back-end-of-line (BEOL) processing, due to their relatively low crystallization temperature. However, it remains challenging to achieve excellent ferroelectric properties with post deposition annealing (PDA) process at a BEOL compatible temperature. Along these lines, in this work, it is demonstrated that the ferroelectricity of 15 nm thick HZO thin film prepared by PDA process at 400 °C can be improved to varying degrees, via depositing 2 nm thick dielectric layers of Al2O3, HfO2, or ZrO2 at either the bottom or the top of the film. Notably, the HZO thin film with the top-Al2O3 layer exhibits remarkable ferroelectric properties, which are independent of the thickness of HZO. The 6 nm thick HZO thin film shows a total remanent polarization (2Pr) of 31 μC/cm2 under an operating voltage of 2.5 V. These results represent a significant advancement in the fabrication of high-performance, BEOL compatible ferroelectric memories, as compared to previously reported state-of-the-art works.

Keywords

Al2O3BEOL processingFerroelectricityHf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO)

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Journal of Materiomics
Volume 10 Issue 2,
March 2024
Pages 277-284
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmat.2023.05.013
Cite this article:
Ju C, Zeng B, Luo Z, et al. Improved ferroelectric properties of CMOS back-end-of-line compatible Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin films by introducing dielectric layers. Journal of Materiomics, 2024, 10(2): 277-284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmat.2023.05.013

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Received: 11 April 2023
Revised: 12 May 2023
Accepted: 30 May 2023
Published: 24 June 2023
© 2023 The Authors.

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
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