Emergent ferroelectricity in subnanometer binary oxide films on silicon

Flexible, biodegradable ultrasonic wireless electrotherapy device based on highly self-aligned piezoelectric biofilms

Biodegradable piezoelectric devices hold great promise in on-demand transient bioelectronics. Existing piezoelectric biomaterials, however, remain obstacles to the development of such devices due to difficulties in large-scale crystal orientation alignment and weak piezoelectricity. Here, we present a strategy for the synthesis of optimally orientated, self-aligned piezoelectric γ-glycine/polyvinyl alcohol (γ-glycine/PVA) films via an ultrasound-assisted process, guided by density functional theory. The first-principles calculations reveal that the negative piezoelectric effect of γ-glycine originates from the stretching and compression of glycine molecules induced by hydrogen bonding interactions. The synthetic γ-glycine/PVA films exhibit a piezoelectricity of 10.4 picocoulombs per newton and an ultrahigh piezoelectric voltage coefficient of 324 × 10-3 volt meters per newton. The biofilms are further developed into flexible, bioresorbable, wireless piezo-ultrasound electrotherapy devices, which are demonstrated to shorten wound healing by ~40% and self-degrade in preclinical wound models. These encouraging results offer reliable approaches for engineering piezoelectric biofilms and developing transient bioelectronics.

Strain-induced ferroelectric polarization reversal without undergoing geometric inversion in blue SiSe monolayer

Ferroelectricity in two-dimensional (2D) systems generally arises from phonons and has been widely investigated. On the contrary, electronic ferroelectricity in 2D systems has been rarely studied. Using first-principles calculations, the ferroelectric behavior of the buckled blue SiSe monolayer under strain are explored. It is found that the direction of the out-of-plane ferroelectric polarization can be reversed by applying an in-plane strain. And such polarization switching is realized without undergoing geometric inversion. Besides, the strain-triggered polarization reversal emerges in both biaxial and uniaxial strain cases, indicating it is an intrinsic feature of such a system. Further analysis shows that the polarization switching is the result of the reversal of the magnitudes of the positive and negative charge center vectors. And the variation of buckling is found to play an important role, which results in the switch. Moreover, a non-monotonic variation of band gap with strain is revealed. Our findings throws light on the investigation of novel electronic ferroelectric systems.

Deterministic Orientation Control of Ferroelectric HfO2 Thin Film Growth by a Topotactic Phase Transition of an Oxide Electrode

The scale-free ferroelectricity with superior Si compatibility of HfO2 has reawakened the feasibility of scaled-down nonvolatile devices and beyond the complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) architecture based on ferroelectric materials. However, despite the rapid development, fundamental understanding, and control of the metastable ferroelectric phase in terms of oxygen ion movement of HfO2 remain ambiguous. In this study, we have deterministically controlled the orientation of a single-crystalline ferroelectric phase HfO2 thin film via oxygen ion movement. We induced a topotactic phase transition of the metal electrode accompanied by the stabilization of the differently oriented ferroelectric phase HfO2 through the migration of oxygen ions between the oxygen-reactive metal electrode and the HfO2 layer. By stabilizing different polarization directions of HfO2 through oxygen ion migration, we can gain a profound understanding of the oxygen ion-relevant unclear phenomena of ferroelectric HfO2.

Growth of emergent simple pseudo-binary ferroelectrics and their potential in neuromorphic computing devices

Ferroelectric memory devices such as ferroelectric memristors, ferroelectric tunnel junctions, and field-effect transistors are considered among the most promising candidates for neuromorphic computing devices. The promise arises from their defect-independent switching mechanism, low energy consumption and high power efficiency, and important properties being aimed for are reliable switching at high speed, excellent endurance, retention, and compatibility with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology. Binary or doped binary materials have emerged over conventional complex-composition ferroelectrics as an optimum solution, particularly in terms of CMOS compatibility. The current state-of-the-art route to achieving superlative ferroelectric performance of binary oxides is to induce ferroelectricity at the nanoscale, e.g., in ultra-thin films of doped HfO2, ZrO2, Zn1-xMgxO, Al-xScxN, and Bi1-xSmxO3. This short review article focuses on the materials science of emerging new ferroelectric materials, including their different properties such as remanent polarization, coercive field, endurance, etc. The potential of these materials is discussed for neuromorphic applications.

Giant energy storage and power density negative capacitance superlattices

Dielectric electrostatic capacitors1, because of their ultrafast charge-discharge, are desirable for high-power energy storage applications. Along with ultrafast operation, on-chip integration can enable miniaturized energy storage devices for emerging autonomous microelectronics and microsystems2-5. Moreover, state-of-the-art miniaturized electrochemical energy storage systems-microsupercapacitors and microbatteries-currently face safety, packaging, materials and microfabrication challenges preventing on-chip technological readiness2,3,6, leaving an opportunity for electrostatic microcapacitors. Here we report record-high electrostatic energy storage density (ESD) and power density, to our knowledge, in HfO2-ZrO2-based thin film microcapacitors integrated into silicon, through a three-pronged approach. First, to increase intrinsic energy storage, atomic-layer-deposited antiferroelectric HfO2-ZrO2 films are engineered near a field-driven ferroelectric phase transition to exhibit amplified charge storage by the negative capacitance effect7-12, which enhances volumetric ESD beyond the best-known back-end-of-the-line-compatible dielectrics (115 J cm-3) (ref. 13). Second, to increase total energy storage, antiferroelectric superlattice engineering14 scales the energy storage performance beyond the conventional thickness limitations of HfO2-ZrO2-based (anti)ferroelectricity15 (100-nm regime). Third, to increase the storage per footprint, the superlattices are conformally integrated into three-dimensional capacitors, which boosts the areal ESD nine times and the areal power density 170 times that of the best-known electrostatic capacitors: 80 mJ cm-2 and 300 kW cm-2, respectively. This simultaneous demonstration of ultrahigh energy density and power density overcomes the traditional capacity-speed trade-off across the electrostatic-electrochemical energy storage hierarchy1,16. Furthermore, the integration of ultrahigh-density and ultrafast-charging thin films within a back-end-of-the-line-compatible process enables monolithic integration of on-chip microcapacitors5, which can unlock substantial energy storage and power delivery performance for electronic microsystems17-19.

Pure ZrO2 Ferroelectric Thin Film for Nonvolatile Memory and Neural Network Computing

The recent discovery of ferroelectricity in pure ZrO2 has drawn much attention, but the information storage and processing performances of ferroelectric ZrO2-based nonvolatile devices remain open for further exploration. Here, a ZrO2 (∼8 nm)-based ferroelectric capacitor using RuO2 oxide electrodes is fabricated, and the ferroelectric orthorhombic phase evolution under electric field cycling is studied. A ferroelectric remnant polarization (2Pr) of >30 μC/cm2, leakage current density of ∼2.79 × 10-8 A/cm2 at 1 MV/cm, and estimated polarization retention of >10 years are achieved. When the ferroelectric capacitor is connected with a transistor, a memory window of ∼0.8 V and eight distinct states can be obtained in such a ferroelectric field-effect transistor (FeFET). Through the conductance manipulation of the FeFET, a high object image recognition accuracy of ∼93.32% is achieved on the basis of the CIFAR-10 dataset in the convolutional neural network (CNN) simulation, which is close to the result of ∼94.20% obtained by floating-point-based CNN software. These results demonstrate the potential of ferroelectric ZrO2 devices for nonvolatile memory and artificial neural network computing.

Ferroelastically protected reversible orthorhombic to monoclinic-like phase transition in ZrO2 nanocrystals

Robust ferroelectricity in nanoscale fluorite oxide-based thin films enables promising applications in silicon-compatible non-volatile memories and logic devices. However, the polar orthorhombic (O) phase of fluorite oxides is a metastable phase that is prone to transforming into the ground-state non-polar monoclinic (M) phase, leading to macroscopic ferroelectric degradation. Here we investigate the reversibility of the O-M phase transition in ZrO2 nanocrystals via in situ visualization of the martensitic transformation at the atomic scale. We reveal that the reversible shear deformation pathway from the O phase to the monoclinic-like (M') state, a compressive-strained M phase, is protected by 90° ferroelectric-ferroelastic switching. Nevertheless, as the M' state gradually accumulates localized strain, a critical tensile strain can pin the ferroelastic domain, resulting in an irreversible M'-M strain relaxation and the loss of ferroelectricity. These findings demonstrate the key role of ferroelastic switching in the reversibility of phase transition and also provide a tensile-strain threshold for stabilizing the metastable ferroelectric phase in fluorite oxide thin films.

Enhanced polarization switching characteristics of HfO2 ultrathin films via acceptor-donor co-doping

In the realm of ferroelectric memories, HfO2-based ferroelectrics stand out because of their exceptional CMOS compatibility and scalability. Nevertheless, their switchable polarization and switching speed are not on par with those of perovskite ferroelectrics. It is widely acknowledged that defects play a crucial role in stabilizing the metastable polar phase of HfO2. Simultaneously, defects also pin the domain walls and impede the switching process, ultimately rendering the sluggish switching of HfO2. Herein, we present an effective strategy involving acceptor-donor co-doping to effectively tackle this dilemma. Remarkably enhanced ferroelectricity and the fastest switching process ever reported among HfO2 polar devices are observed in La3+-Ta5+ co-doped HfO2 ultrathin films. Moreover, robust macro-electrical characteristics of co-doped films persist even at a thickness as low as 3 nm, expanding potential applications of HfO2 in ultrathin devices. Our systematic investigations further demonstrate that synergistic effects of uniform microstructure and smaller switching barrier introduced by co-doping ensure the enhanced ferroelectricity and shortened switching time. The co-doping strategy offers an effective avenue to control the defect state and improve the ferroelectric properties of HfO2 films.

Scalable Synthesis of High-Quality Ultrathin Ferroelectric Magnesium Molybdenum Oxide

The development of ultrathin, stable ferroelectric materials is crucial for advancing high-density, low-power electronic devices. Nonetheless, ultrathin ferroelectric materials are rare due to the critical size effect. Here, a novel ferroelectric material, magnesium molybdenum oxide (Mg2 Mo3 O8 ) is presented. High-quality ultrathin Mg2 Mo3 O8 crystals are synthesized using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Ultrathin Mg2 Mo3 O8 has a wide bandgap (≈4.4 eV) and nonlinear optical response. Mg2 Mo3 O8 crystals of varying thicknesses exhibit out-of-plane ferroelectric properties at room temperature, with ferroelectricity retained even at a 2 nm thickness. The Mg2 Mo3 O8 exhibits a relatively large remanent polarization ranging from 33 to 52 µC cm- 2 , which is tunable by changing its thickness. Notably, Mg2 Mo3 O8 possesses a high Curie temperature (>980 °C) across various thicknesses. Moreover, the as-grown Mg2 Mo3 O8 crystals display remarkable stability under harsh environments. This work introduces nolanites-type crystal into ultrathin ferroelectrics. The scalable synthesis of stable ultrathin ferroelectric Mg2 Mo3 O8 expands the scope of ferroelectric materials and may prosper applications of ferroelectrics.

Tunable and parabolic piezoelectricity in hafnia under epitaxial strain

Piezoelectrics are a class of functional materials that have been extensively used for application in modern electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologies. The sign of longitudinal piezoelectric coefficients is typically positive but recently a few ferroelectrics, such as ferroelectric polymer poly(vinylidene fluoride) and van der Waals ferroelectric CuInP2S6, were experimentally found to have negative piezoelectricity. Here, using first-principles calculation and measurements, we show that the sign of the longitudinal linear piezoelectric coefficient of HfO2 can be tuned from positive to negative via epitaxial strain. Nonlinear and even parabolic piezoelectric behaviors are further found at tensile epitaxial strain. This parabolic piezoelectric behavior implies that the polarization decreases when increasing the magnitude of either compressive or tensile longitudinal strain, or, equivalently, that the strain increases when increasing the magnitude of electric field being either parallel or antiparallel to the direction of polarization. The unusual piezoelectric effects are from the chemical coordination of the active oxygen atoms. These striking piezoelectric features of positive and negative sign, as well as linear and parabolical behaviors, expand the current knowledge in piezoelectricity and broaden the potential of piezoelectric applications towards electro-mechanical and communications technology.

0D van der Waals interfacial ferroelectricity

The dimensional limit of ferroelectricity has been long explored. The critical contravention is that the downscaling of ferroelectricity leads to a loss of polarization. This work demonstrates a zero-dimensional ferroelectricity by the atomic sliding at the restrained van der Waals interface of crossed tungsten disufilde nanotubes. The developed zero-dimensional ferroelectric diode in this work presents not only non-volatile resistive memory, but also the programmable photovoltaic effect at the visible band. Benefiting from the intrinsic dimensional limitation, the zero-dimensional ferroelectric diode allows electrical operation at an ultra-low current. By breaking through the critical size of depolarization, this work demonstrates the ultimately downscaled interfacial ferroelectricity of zero-dimensional, and contributes to a branch of devices that integrates zero-dimensional ferroelectric memory, nano electro-mechanical system, and programmable photovoltaics in one.

Engineering Sub-Nanometer Hafnia-Based Ferroelectrics to Break the Scaling Relation for High-Efficiency Piezocatalytic Water Splitting

Reversible control of ferroelectric polarization is essential to overcome the heterocatalytic kinetic limitation. This can be achieved by creating a surface with switchable electron density; however, owing to the rigidity of traditional ferroelectric oxides, achieving polarization reversal in piezocatalytic processes remains challenging. Herein, sub-nanometer-sized Hf0.5 Zr0.5 O2 (HZO) nanowires with a polymer-like flexibility are synthesized. Oxygen K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy and negative spherical aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy reveal an orthorhombic (Pca21 ) ferroelectric phase of the HZO sub-nanometer wires (SNWs). The ferroelectric polarization of the flexible HZO SNWs can be easily switched by slight external vibration, resulting in dynamic modulation of the binding energy of adsorbates and thus breaking the "scaling relationship" during piezocatalysis. Consequently, the as-synthesized ultrathin HZO nanowires display superb water-splitting activity, with H2 production rate of 25687 µmol g-1  h-1 under 40 kHz ultrasonic vibration, which is 235 and 41 times higher than those of non-ferroelectric hafnium oxides and rigid BaTiO3 nanoparticles, respectively. More strikingly, the hydrogen production rates can reach 5.2 µmol g-1  h-1 by addition of stirring exclusively.

Ferroelectricity in hafnia controlled via surface electrochemical state

Ferroelectricity in binary oxides including hafnia and zirconia has riveted the attention of the scientific community due to the highly unconventional physical mechanisms and the potential for the integration of these materials into semiconductor workflows. Over the last decade, it has been argued that behaviours such as wake-up phenomena and an extreme sensitivity to electrode and processing conditions suggest that ferroelectricity in these materials is strongly influenced by other factors, including electrochemical boundary conditions and strain. Here we argue that the properties of these materials emerge due to the interplay between the bulk competition between ferroelectric and structural instabilities, similar to that in classical antiferroelectrics, coupled with non-local screening mediated by the finite density of states at surfaces and internal interfaces. Via the decoupling of electrochemical and electrostatic controls, realized via environmental and ultra-high vacuum piezoresponse force microscopy, we show that these materials demonstrate a rich spectrum of ferroic behaviours including partial-pressure-induced and temperature-induced transitions between ferroelectric and antiferroelectric behaviours. These behaviours are consistent with an antiferroionic model and suggest strategies for hafnia-based device optimization.

Intrinsic Strain-Mediated Ultrathin Ceria Nanoantioxidant

Metal oxide nanozymes have emerged as the most efficient and promising candidates to mimic antioxidant enzymes for treatment of oxidative stress-mediated pathophysiological disorders, but the current effectiveness is unsatisfactory due to insufficient catalytic performance. Here, we report for the first time an intrinsic strain-mediated ultrathin ceria nanoantioxidant. Surface strain in ceria with variable thicknesses and coordinatively unsaturated Ce sites was investigated by theoretical calculation analysis and then was validated by preparing ∼1.2 nm ultrathin nanoplates with ∼3.0% tensile strain in plane/∼10.0% tensile strain out of plane. Compared with nanocubes, surface strain in ultrathin nanoplates could enhance the covalency of the Ce-O bond, leading to increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD)-mimetic activity by ∼2.6-fold (1533 U/mg, in close proximity to that of natural SOD) and total antioxidant activity by ∼2.5-fold. As a proof of concept, intrinsic strain-mediated ultrathin ceria nanoplates could boost antioxidation for improved ischemic stroke treatment in vivo, significantly better than edaravone, a commonly used clinical drug.

A stable rhombohedral phase in ferroelectric Hf(Zr)1+xO2 capacitor with ultralow coercive field

Hafnium oxide-based ferroelectric materials are promising candidates for next-generation nanoscale devices because of their ability to integrate into silicon electronics. However, the intrinsic high coercive field of the fluorite-structure oxide ferroelectric devices leads to incompatible operating voltage and limited endurance performance. We discovered a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible rhombohedral ferroelectric Hf(Zr)1+xO2 material rich in hafnium-zirconium [Hf(Zr)]. X-ray diffraction combined with scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals that the excess Hf(Zr) atoms intercalate within the hollow sites. We found that the intercalated atoms expand the lattice and increase the in-plane and out-of-plane stresses, which stabilize both the rhombohedral phase (r-phase) and its ferroelectric properties. Our ferroelectric devices, which are based on the r-phase Hf(Zr)1+xO2, exhibit an ultralow coercive field (~0.65 megavolts per centimeter). Moreover, we achieved a high endurance of more than 1012 cycles at saturation polarization. This material discovery may help to realize low-cost and long-life memory chips.

Absence of critical thickness for polar skyrmions with breaking the Kittel's law

The period of polar domain (d) in ferroics was commonly believed to scale with corresponding film thicknesses (h), following the classical Kittel's law of d ∝ [Formula: see text]. Here, we have not only observed that this relationship fails in the case of polar skyrmions, where the period shrinks nearly to a constant value, or even experiences a slight increase, but also discovered that skyrmions have further persisted in [(PbTiO3)2/(SrTiO3)2]10 ultrathin superlattices. Both experimental and theoretical results indicate that the skyrmion periods (d) and PbTiO3 layer thicknesses in superlattice (h) obey the hyperbolic function of d = Ah + [Formula: see text] other than previous believed, simple square root law. Phase-field analysis indicates that the relationship originates from the different energy competitions of the superlattices with PbTiO3 layer thicknesses. This work exemplified the critical size problems faced by nanoscale ferroelectric device designing in the post-Moore era.

Ferroelectric Transistors for Memory and Neuromorphic Device Applications

Ferroelectric materials have been intensively investigated for high-performance nonvolatile memory devices in the past decades, owing to their nonvolatile polarization characteristics. Ferroelectric memory devices are expected to exhibit lower power consumption and higher speed than conventional memory devices. However, non-complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatibility and degradation due to fatigue of traditional perovskite-based ferroelectric materials have hindered the development of high-density and high-performance ferroelectric memories in the past. The recently developed hafnia-based ferroelectric materials have attracted immense attention in the development of advanced semiconductor devices. Because hafnia is typically used in CMOS processes, it can be directly incorporated into current semiconductor technologies. Additionally, hafnia-based ferroelectrics show high scalability and large coercive fields that are advantageous for high-density memory devices. This review summarizes the recent developments in ferroelectric devices, especially ferroelectric transistors, for next-generation memory and neuromorphic applications. First, the types of ferroelectric memories and their operation mechanisms are reviewed. Then, issues limiting the realization of high-performance ferroelectric transistors and possible solutions are discussed. The experimental demonstration of ferroelectric transistor arrays, including 3D ferroelectric NAND and its operation characteristics, are also reviewed. Finally, challenges and strategies toward the development of next-generation memory and neuromorphic applications based on ferroelectric transistors are outlined.

Lessons from hafnium dioxide-based ferroelectrics

A bit more than a decade after the first report of ferroelectric switching in hafnium dioxide-based ultrathin layers, this family of materials continues to elicit interest. There is ample consensus that the observed switching does not obey the same mechanisms present in most other ferroelectrics, but its exact nature is still under debate. Next to this fundamental relevance, a large research effort is dedicated to optimizing the use of this extraordinary material, which already shows direct integrability in current semiconductor chips and potential for scalability to the smallest node architectures, in smaller and more reliable devices. Here we present a perspective on how, despite our incomplete understanding and remaining device endurance issues, the lessons learned from hafnium dioxide-based ferroelectrics offer interesting avenues beyond ferroelectric random-access memories and field-effect transistors. We hope that research along these other directions will stimulate discoveries that, in turn, will mitigate some of the current issues. Extending the scope of available systems will eventually enable the way to low-power electronics, self-powered devices and energy-efficient information processing.

An in-memory computing architecture based on a duplex two-dimensional material structure for in situ machine learning

The growing computational demand in artificial intelligence calls for hardware solutions that are capable of in situ machine learning, where both training and inference are performed by edge computation. This not only requires extremely energy-efficient architecture (such as in-memory computing) but also memory hardware with tunable properties to simultaneously meet the demand for training and inference. Here we report a duplex device structure based on a ferroelectric field-effect transistor and an atomically thin MoS₂ channel, and realize a universal in-memory computing architecture for in situ learning. By exploiting the tunability of the ferroelectric energy landscape, the duplex building block demonstrates an overall excellent performance in endurance (>10¹³), retention (>10 years), speed (4.8 ns) and energy consumption (22.7 fJ bit^-1 μm^-2). We implemented a hardware neural network using arrays of two-transistors-one-duplex ferroelectric field-effect transistor cells and achieved 99.86% accuracy in a nonlinear localization task with in situ trained weights. Simulations show that the proposed device architecture could achieve the same level of performance as a graphics processing unit under notably improved energy efficiency. Our device core can be combined with silicon circuitry through three-dimensional heterogeneous integration to give a hardware solution towards general edge intelligence.

Ferroelectric Orthorhombic ZrO2 Thin Films Achieved Through Nanosecond Laser Annealing

A new approach for the stabilization of the ferroelectric orthorhombic ZrO₂ films is demonstrated through nanosecond laser annealing (NLA) of as-deposited Si/SiO_x /W(14 nm)/ZrO₂ (8 nm)/W(22 nm), grown by ion beam sputtering at low temperatures. The NLA process optimization is guided by COMSOL multiphysics simulations. The films annealed under the optimized conditions reveal the presence of the orthorhombic phase, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction, electron backscatter diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. Macroscopic polarization-electric field hysteresis loops show ferroelectric behavior, with saturation polarization of 12.8 µC cm^-2 , remnant polarization of 12.7 µC cm^-2 and coercive field of 1.2 MV cm^-1 . The films exhibit a wake-up effect that is attributed to the migration of point defects, such as oxygen vacancies, and/or a transition from nonferroelectric (monoclinic and tetragonal phase) to the ferroelectric orthorhombic phase. The capacitors demonstrate a stable polarization with an endurance of 6.0 × 10⁵ cycles, demonstrating the potential of the NLA process for the fabrication of ferroelectric memory devices with high polarization, low coercive field, and high cycling stability.

In-Situ Measurement of Magnetoelectric Coupling and Strain Transfer in Multiferroic Nanocomposites of CoFe2O4 and Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 with Residual Porosity

With increasing applications for voltage-controlled magnetism, the need to more fully understand magnetoelectric coupling and strain transfer in nanostructured multiferroic composites has also increased. Here, multiferroic nanocomposites were synthesized using block copolymer templating to create mesoporous cobalt ferrite (CFO), followed by partly filling the pores with ferroelectric zirconium-substituted hafnia (HZO) using atomic layer deposition (ALD) to produce a porous multiferroic composite with enhanced mechanical flexibility. Upon electrical poling of the nanocomposite, we observed large changes in the magnetization. These changes partly relaxed upon removing the electric field, suggesting a strain-mediated mechanism. Both the anisotropic strain transfer from HZO to CFO and the strain relaxation after the field was removed were confirmed using high-resolution X-ray diffraction measurements collected during in-situ poling. The in-situ observation of both anisotropic strain transfer and large magnetization changes allows us to directly characterize the strong multiferroic coupling that can occur in flexible, nanostructured composites.

Polarization Switching and Correlated Phase Transitions in Fluorite-Structure ZrO2 Nanocrystals

Unconventional ferroelectricity in fluorite-structure oxides enables tremendous opportunities in nanoelectronics owing to their superior scalability and silicon compatibility. However, their polarization order and switching process remain elusive due to the challenges of visualizing oxygen ions in nanocrystalline films. In this work, the oxygen shifting during polarization switching and correlated polar-nonpolar phase transitions are directly captured among multiple metastable phases in freestanding ZrO₂ thin films by low-dose integrated differential phase-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (iDPC-STEM). Bidirectional transitions between antiferroelectric and ferroelectric orders and interfacial polarization relaxation are clarified at unit-cell scale. Meanwhile, polarization switching is strongly correlated with Zr-O displacement in reversible martensitic transformation between monoclinic and orthorhombic phases and two-step tetrahedral-to-orthorhombic phase transition. These findings provide atomic insights into the transition pathways between metastable polymorphs and unravel the evolution of polarization orders in (anti)ferroelectric fluorite oxides.

Interface-engineered ferroelectricity of epitaxial Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin films

Ferroelectric hafnia-based thin films have attracted intense attention due to their compatibility with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology. However, the ferroelectric orthorhombic phase is thermodynamically metastable. Various efforts have been made to stabilize the ferroelectric orthorhombic phase of hafnia-based films such as controlling the growth kinetics and mechanical confinement. Here, we demonstrate a key interface engineering strategy to stabilize and enhance the ferroelectric orthorhombic phase of the Hf_0.5Zr_0.5O₂ thin film by deliberately controlling the termination of the bottom La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ layer. We find that the Hf_0.5Zr_0.5O₂ films on the MnO₂-terminated La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ have more ferroelectric orthorhombic phase than those on the LaSrO-terminated La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃, while with no wake-up effect. Even though the Hf_0.5Zr_0.5O₂ thickness is as thin as 1.5 nm, the clear ferroelectric orthorhombic (111) orientation is observed on the MnO₂ termination. Our transmission electron microscopy characterization and theoretical modelling reveal that reconstruction at the Hf_0.5Zr_0.5O₂/ La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ interface and hole doping of the Hf_0.5Zr_0.5O₂ layer resulting from the MnO₂ interface termination are responsible for the stabilization of the metastable ferroelectric phase of Hf_0.5Zr_0.5O₂. We anticipate that these results will inspire further studies of interface-engineered hafnia-based systems.

Ferroelectricity in layered bismuth oxide down to 1 nanometer

Atomic-scale ferroelectrics are of great interest for high-density electronics, particularly field-effect transistors, low-power logic, and nonvolatile memories. We devised a film with a layered structure of bismuth oxide that can stabilize the ferroelectric state down to 1 nanometer through samarium bondage. This film can be grown on a variety of substrates with a cost-effective chemical solution deposition. We observed a standard ferroelectric hysteresis loop down to a thickness of ~1 nanometer. The thin films with thicknesses that range from 1 to 4.56 nanometers possess a relatively large remanent polarization from 17 to 50 microcoulombs per square centimeter. We verified the structure with first-principles calculations, which also pointed to the material being a lone pair-driven ferroelectric material. The structure design of the ultrathin ferroelectric films has great potential for the manufacturing of atomic-scale electronic devices.

A perspective on the physical scaling down of hafnia-based ferroelectrics

HfO₂-based ferroelectric thin films have attracted significant interest for semiconductor device applications due to their compatibility with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. One of the benefits of HfO₂-based ferroelectric thin films is their ability to be scaled to thicknesses as low as 10 nm while retaining their ferroelectric properties; a feat that has been difficult to accomplish with conventional perovskite-based ferroelectrics using CMOS-compatible processes. However, reducing the thickness limit of HfO₂-based ferroelectric thin films below the sub 5 nm thickness regime while preserving their ferroelectric property remains a formidable challenge. This is because both the structural factors of HfO₂, including polymorphism and orientation, and the electrical factors of HfO₂-based devices, such as the depolarization field, are known to be highly dependent on the HfO₂thickness. Accordingly, when the thickness of HfO₂drops below 5 nm, these factors will become even more crucial. In this regard, the size effect of HfO₂-based ferroelectric thin films is thoroughly discussed in the present review. The impact of thickness on the ferroelectric property of HfO₂-based thin films and the electrical performance of HfO₂-based ferroelectric semiconductor devices, such as ferroelectric random-access-memory, ferroelectric field-effect-transistor, and ferroelectric tunnel junction, is extensively discussed from the perspective of fundamental theory and experimental results. Finally, recent developments and reports on achieving ferroelectric HfO₂at sub-5 nm thickness regime and their applications are discussed.

Sensing single domains and individual defects in scaled ferroelectrics

Ultra-scaled ferroelectrics are desirable for high-density nonvolatile memories and neuromorphic computing; however, for advanced applications, single domain dynamics and defect behavior need to be understood at scaled geometries. Here, we demonstrate the integration of a ferroelectric gate stack on a heterostructure tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET) with subthermionic operation. On the basis of the ultrashort effective channel created by the band-to-band tunneling process, the localized potential variations induced by single domains and individual defects are sensed without physical gate-length scaling required for conventional transistors. We electrically measure abrupt threshold voltage shifts and quantify the appearance of new individual defects activated by the ferroelectric switching. Our results show that ferroelectric films can be integrated on heterostructure devices and indicate that the intrinsic electrostatic control within ferroelectric TFETs provides the opportunity for ultrasensitive scale-free detection of single domains and defects in ultra-scaled ferroelectrics. Our approach opens a previously unidentified path for investigating the ultimate scaling limits of ferroelectronics.

Freestanding complex-oxide membranes

Complex oxides show a vast range of functional responses, unparalleled within the inorganic solids realm, making them promising materials for applications as varied as next-generation field-effect transistors, spintronic devices, electro-optic modulators, pyroelectric detectors, or oxygen reduction catalysts. Their stability in ambient conditions, chemical versatility, and large susceptibility to minute structural and electronic modifications make them ideal subjects of study to discover emergent phenomena and to generate novel functionalities for next-generation devices. Recent advances in the synthesis of single-crystal, freestanding complex oxide membranes provide an unprecedented opportunity to study these materials in a nearly-ideal system (e.g. free of mechanical/thermal interaction with substrates) as well as expanding the range of tools for tweaking their order parameters (i.e. (anti-)ferromagnetic, (anti-)ferroelectric, ferroelastic), and increasing the possibility of achieving novel heterointegration approaches (including interfacing dissimilar materials) by avoiding the chemical, structural, or thermal constraints in synthesis processes. Here, we review the recent developments in the fabrication and characterization of complex-oxide membranes and discuss their potential for unraveling novel physicochemical phenomena at the nanoscale and for further exploiting their functionalities in technologically relevant devices.