Applied Physics Letters

Thermal budget study to simultaneously achieve low-temperature (<b>&amp;lt;</b>400 <b>°</b>C) process and high endurance of ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin films

J Jongmug Kang (Department of BIT Medical Convergence, Kangwon National University 1 , 1 Gangwondaehakgil, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do 24341,) S Seongbin Park (Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Kangwon National University 2 , 1 Gangwondaehakgil, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do 24341,) H Hye Ryeon Park (Department of BIT Medical Convergence, Kangwon National University 1 , 1 Gangwondaehakgil, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do 24341,) S Seungbin Lee (Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Kangwon National University 2 , 1 Gangwondaehakgil, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do 24341,) J Jin-Hyun Kim M Minjong Lee (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas 4 , 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080,) D Dushyant M. Narayan (Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas 3 , 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080,) J Jeong Gyu Yoo (Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Kangwon National University 2 , 1 Gangwondaehakgil, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do 24341,) G Geon Park H Harrison Sejoon Kim (Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas 3 , 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080,) Y Yong Chan Jung (Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas 3 , 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080,) R Rino Choi (Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Inha University 5 , 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212,) J Jiyoung Kim (Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.) S Si Joon Kim (Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Kangwon National University 2 , 1 Gangwondaehakgil, Chuncheon, Gangwon-Do 24341,)

Abstract

This work comprehensively investigates the thermal budget required to simultaneously achieve low-temperature process conditions and high endurance in atomic layer deposited ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO) thin films. Because a certain level of thermal budget is required to achieve ferroelectricity in 10 nm HZO thin films, the crystallization temperature can be lowered below 400 °C by simply increasing the annealing time. In addition, the analysis of the crystallization behavior of HZO thin films based on the Johnson–Mehl–Avrami–Kolmogorov model revealed that longer annealing times are required to lower the annealing temperature for HZO crystallization due to the limitation of the crystallization rate. Consequently, low-temperature (&amp;lt;400 °C) ferroelectric HZO thin films with large remanent polarization along with improved leakage behavior and endurance were realized. These results not only facilitate the back-end-of-line integration of HZO thin films but also demonstrate the feasibility of in situ HZO crystallization by thermal budget for subsequent interconnect formation, simplifying the overall process and saving costs by eliminating a dedicated annealing process.

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Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 126, Issue 10
Published March 01, 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)

J

Jongmug Kang

Department of BIT Medical Convergence, Kangwon National University 1 , 1 Gangwondaehakgil, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do 24341,

S

Seongbin Park

Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Kangwon National University 2 , 1 Gangwondaehakgil, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do 24341,

H

Hye Ryeon Park

Department of BIT Medical Convergence, Kangwon National University 1 , 1 Gangwondaehakgil, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do 24341,

S

Seungbin Lee

Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Kangwon National University 2 , 1 Gangwondaehakgil, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do 24341,

J

Jin-Hyun Kim

M

Minjong Lee

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas 4 , 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080,

D

Dushyant M. Narayan

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas 3 , 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080,

J

Jeong Gyu Yoo

Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Kangwon National University 2 , 1 Gangwondaehakgil, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do 24341,

G

Geon Park

H

Harrison Sejoon Kim

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas 3 , 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080,

Y

Yong Chan Jung

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas 3 , 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080,

R

Rino Choi

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Inha University 5 , 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212,

J

Jiyoung Kim

Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.

S

Si Joon Kim

Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Kangwon National University 2 , 1 Gangwondaehakgil, Chuncheon, Gangwon-Do 24341,

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