Impact of interlayer on gate leakage during endurance fatigue of Si-channel FeFETs

K Kaiyi Li (The School of Advanced Interdisciplinary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 101408,) S Saifei Dai (State Key Laboratory of Fabrication Technologies for Integrated Circuits, Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMECAS) , Beijing 100029,) Y Yajing Ding (State Key Laboratory of Fabrication Technologies for Integrated Circuits, Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMECAS) , Beijing 100029,) X Xianzhou Shao (State Key Laboratory of Fabrication Technologies for Integrated Circuits, Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMECAS) , Beijing 100029,) T Tao Hu X Xinpei Jia (State Key Laboratory of Fabrication Technologies for Integrated Circuits, Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMECAS) , Beijing 100029,) F Fengbin Tian (The Key Laboratory of Fabrication Technologies for Integrated Circuits and the Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences 2 , Beijing 100029,) X Xiaoqing Sun J Junshuai Chai (State Key Laboratory of Fabrication Technologies for Integrated Circuits, Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMECAS) , Beijing 100029,) H Hao Xu K Kai Han (Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutics Engineering, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Center for Quantum Technology Research and School of Physics) X Xiaolei Wang (State Key Laboratory of Natural Product Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering) W Wenwu Wang (State Key Laboratory of Fabrication Technologies for Integrated Circuits, Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMECAS) , Beijing 100029,) T Tianchun Ye (The Key Laboratory of Fabrication Technologies for Integrated Circuits and the Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences 2 , Beijing 100029,)

Abstract

This work links the charge trapping capability, gate leakage, and endurance of the gate structure of FeFET in series, conducting an in-depth study of the effects of both the material properties of the interlayer and its insertion location within the gate stack on the electrical characteristics of hafnium-based ferroelectric field transistors (FeFETs). We designed two groups of experiments: one group of devices uses three different interlayers (SiOx, Al2O3, and SiON), and the other group of devices uses Al2O3 as the interlayer to be inserted at different positions (top interlayer, middle interlayer, and bottom interlayer). By examining interlayer materials with different properties, the relationship between charge trapping capability, gate leakage, and device endurance is elucidated. Our study shows that the endurance of FeFET is not only related to the traps at the ferroelectric/interlayer interface but also to the quality of the interlayer. What is more, we prove that tuning the insert positions of the interlayer relative to the FE layer can further improve the endurance of the device by suppressing gate leakage. Our work provides a perspective for improving the endurance of FeFETs and provides a co-optimization guideline for suppressing gate traps and gate leakage for further improving the endurance of FeFETs.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 127, Issue 15
Published October 13, 2025
ISSN 0003-6951
Publisher American Institute of Physics

Journal Info

Applied Physics Letters

American Institute of Physics

ISSN: 0003-6951 Physical Sciences

Authors (14)

K

Kaiyi Li

The School of Advanced Interdisciplinary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 101408,

S

Saifei Dai

State Key Laboratory of Fabrication Technologies for Integrated Circuits, Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMECAS) , Beijing 100029,

Y

Yajing Ding

State Key Laboratory of Fabrication Technologies for Integrated Circuits, Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMECAS) , Beijing 100029,

X

Xianzhou Shao

State Key Laboratory of Fabrication Technologies for Integrated Circuits, Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMECAS) , Beijing 100029,

T

Tao Hu

X

Xinpei Jia

State Key Laboratory of Fabrication Technologies for Integrated Circuits, Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMECAS) , Beijing 100029,

F

Fengbin Tian

The Key Laboratory of Fabrication Technologies for Integrated Circuits and the Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences 2 , Beijing 100029,

X

Xiaoqing Sun

J

Junshuai Chai

State Key Laboratory of Fabrication Technologies for Integrated Circuits, Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMECAS) , Beijing 100029,

H

Hao Xu

K

Kai Han

Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutics Engineering, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Center for Quantum Technology Research and School of Physics

X

Xiaolei Wang

State Key Laboratory of Natural Product Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

W

Wenwu Wang

State Key Laboratory of Fabrication Technologies for Integrated Circuits, Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMECAS) , Beijing 100029,

T

Tianchun Ye

The Key Laboratory of Fabrication Technologies for Integrated Circuits and the Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences 2 , Beijing 100029,