Enhancing the fatigue performance of laminated hafnium zirconium oxide ferroelectric thin films via reducing interfacial charge density

K Kejun Tan (Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials and Application Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xiangtan University 1 , Xiangtan 411105,) T Tianqi Tang (Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials and Application Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xiangtan University 1 , Xiangtan 411105,) B Binjian Zeng (Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials and Application Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xiangtan University 1 , Xiangtan 411105,) S Shuaizhi Zheng (Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials and Application Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xiangtan University 1 , Xiangtan 411105,) Q Qiong Yang (State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang-An Biomedicine Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University) Q Qiangxiang Peng (Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials and Application Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xiangtan University 1 , Xiangtan 411105,) Y Yichun Zhou (Shaanxi Key Laboratory of High-Orbits-Electron Materials and Protection Technology for Aerospace, School of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Xidian University 3 , Xi'an 710126,) M Min Liao

Abstract

Laminated HfO2-based ferroelectric thin films show great promise for applications in high-density ferroelectric field-effect transistor memories, nanoelectromechanical system resonators, and energy storage devices. However, the polarization fatigue performance of widely investigated Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO)/Al2O3/HZO laminated films remains poor. In this work, we propose a novel laminated ferroelectric film, HZO/HfN/HZO, to enhance the fatigue performance. Compared with HZO/Al2O3/HZO thin films, the HZO/HfN/HZO films demonstrate significantly enhanced fatigue resistance, enduring up to 1 × 108 cycles at a measurement frequency of 100 kHz and exhibiting slower polarization degradation. This improvement is revealed to stem from a reduced interface trap charge density. Moreover, the lower trap density is attributed to the smaller electric field across the HfN layer that suppresses its degradation and a bandgap comparable to HZO that minimizes carrier energy release at the HfN/HZO interface. This work presents a key step for developing highly reliable laminated HfO2 ferroelectric films and devices.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 129, Issue 3
Published July 20, 2026
ISSN 0003-6951
Publisher American Institute of Physics

Journal Info

Applied Physics Letters

American Institute of Physics

ISSN: 0003-6951 Physical Sciences

Authors (8)

K

Kejun Tan

Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials and Application Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xiangtan University 1 , Xiangtan 411105,

T

Tianqi Tang

Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials and Application Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xiangtan University 1 , Xiangtan 411105,

B

Binjian Zeng

Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials and Application Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xiangtan University 1 , Xiangtan 411105,

S

Shuaizhi Zheng

Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials and Application Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xiangtan University 1 , Xiangtan 411105,

Q

Qiong Yang

State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang-An Biomedicine Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University

Q

Qiangxiang Peng

Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials and Application Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xiangtan University 1 , Xiangtan 411105,

Y

Yichun Zhou

Shaanxi Key Laboratory of High-Orbits-Electron Materials and Protection Technology for Aerospace, School of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Xidian University 3 , Xi'an 710126,

M

Min Liao