Atomic-scale imaging of polarization switching in an (anti-)ferroelectric memory material: Zirconia (ZrO2)

S. Lombardo; C. Nelson; K. Chae; S. Reyes-Lillo; M. Tian; N. Tasneem; Z. Wang; M. Hoffmann; D. Triyoso; S. Consiglio; K. Tapily; R. Clark; G. Leusink; K. Cho; A. Kummel; J. Kacher; A. Khan

doi:10.1109/VLSITechnology18217.2020.9265091

Atomic-scale imaging of polarization switching in an (anti-)ferroelectric memory material: Zirconia (ZrO2)

S. Lombardo, C. Nelson, K. Chae, S. Reyes-Lillo, M. Tian, N. Tasneem, Z. Wang, M. Hoffmann, D. Triyoso, S. Consiglio, K. Tapily, R. Clark, G. Leusink, K. Cho, A. Kummel, J. Kacher, A. Khan

electron Microscopy and Microanalysis

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Direct, atomic-scale visualization of polarization switching in a functional, polycrystalline, binary oxide via insitu high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) biasing is reported for the first time. Antiferroelectric (AFE) ZrO2 was used as the model system, which is important for commercial DRAMs and as emerging NVMs (through work-function engineering). We observed (1) clear shifting and coalescing of domains within a single grain, and (2) dramatic changes of the atomic arrangements and crystalline phases-both at voltages above the critical voltage measured for AFE switching. Similar synergistic in-situ structural-electrical characterization can pave the way to understand and engineer microscopic mechanisms for retention, fatigue, variability, sub-coercive switching and analog states in ferroelectric and AFE-based memory devices.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2020 IEEE Symposium on VLSI Technology, VLSI Technology 2020 - Proceedings
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
ISBN (Electronic)	9781728164601
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/VLSITechnology18217.2020.9265091
State	Published - Jun 2020
Event	2020 IEEE Symposium on VLSI Technology, VLSI Technology 2020 - Honolulu, United States Duration: Jun 16 2020 → Jun 19 2020

Publication series

Name	Digest of Technical Papers - Symposium on VLSI Technology
Volume	2020-June
ISSN (Print)	0743-1562

Conference

Conference	2020 IEEE Symposium on VLSI Technology, VLSI Technology 2020
Country/Territory	United States
City	Honolulu
Period	06/16/20 → 06/19/20

Funding

Zoomed-in images of the same area obtained from the HRTEM images show a rectangular arrangement of Zr atoms (Fig. 6). When 0V images are superimposed with Zr atoms along the (112ത) projection (which is perpendicular to the growth direction, i.e., [111]) of the tetragonal P42/nmc phase, an excellent (but not necessarily unique) match is observed (Fig. 7). When voltage is applied, a ‘sudden’ appearance of additional face-centered atoms in half of the rectangles occurs, indicating a partial phase transformation (Fig. 8b). Suggested (but not unique) atomic arrangements of the two phases at 4V are shown in Fig. 8. These changes were observed in each subsequent cycle (i.e., 0V4V0V4V, Fig. 9). Conclusions: We studied micro-structural evolution during polarization switching in AFE ZrO2 via in-situ HRTEM probing. Our study is the first of its kind for fluorite-type binary FEs/AFEs that can provide correlation between structural and electrical features for understanding and engineering the microscopic mechanisms behind fatigue, retention, endurance, reliability and variability, sub-coercive switching, analog states and so on for VLSI memory applications. Acknowledgements: This work was supported by ASCENT, one of six JUMP centers, an SRC program sponsored by DARPA, and the SRC GRC program. A part of the work was conducted at CNMS, a DOE Office of Science User Facility.

Funders	Funder number
ASCENT
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

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Lombardo, S., Nelson, C., Chae, K., Reyes-Lillo, S., Tian, M., Tasneem, N., Wang, Z., Hoffmann, M., Triyoso, D., Consiglio, S., Tapily, K., Clark, R., Leusink, G., Cho, K., Kummel, A., Kacher, J., & Khan, A. (2020). Atomic-scale imaging of polarization switching in an (anti-)ferroelectric memory material: Zirconia (ZrO2). In 2020 IEEE Symposium on VLSI Technology, VLSI Technology 2020 - Proceedings Article 9265091 (Digest of Technical Papers - Symposium on VLSI Technology; Vol. 2020-June). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. https://doi.org/10.1109/VLSITechnology18217.2020.9265091

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abstract = "Direct, atomic-scale visualization of polarization switching in a functional, polycrystalline, binary oxide via insitu high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) biasing is reported for the first time. Antiferroelectric (AFE) ZrO2 was used as the model system, which is important for commercial DRAMs and as emerging NVMs (through work-function engineering). We observed (1) clear shifting and coalescing of domains within a single grain, and (2) dramatic changes of the atomic arrangements and crystalline phases-both at voltages above the critical voltage measured for AFE switching. Similar synergistic in-situ structural-electrical characterization can pave the way to understand and engineer microscopic mechanisms for retention, fatigue, variability, sub-coercive switching and analog states in ferroelectric and AFE-based memory devices.",

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Lombardo, S, Nelson, C, Chae, K, Reyes-Lillo, S, Tian, M, Tasneem, N, Wang, Z, Hoffmann, M, Triyoso, D, Consiglio, S, Tapily, K, Clark, R, Leusink, G, Cho, K, Kummel, A, Kacher, J & Khan, A 2020, Atomic-scale imaging of polarization switching in an (anti-)ferroelectric memory material: Zirconia (ZrO2). in 2020 IEEE Symposium on VLSI Technology, VLSI Technology 2020 - Proceedings., 9265091, Digest of Technical Papers - Symposium on VLSI Technology, vol. 2020-June, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2020 IEEE Symposium on VLSI Technology, VLSI Technology 2020, Honolulu, United States, 06/16/20. https://doi.org/10.1109/VLSITechnology18217.2020.9265091

Atomic-scale imaging of polarization switching in an (anti-)ferroelectric memory material: Zirconia (ZrO2). / Lombardo, S.; Nelson, C.; Chae, K. et al.
2020 IEEE Symposium on VLSI Technology, VLSI Technology 2020 - Proceedings. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2020. 9265091 (Digest of Technical Papers - Symposium on VLSI Technology; Vol. 2020-June).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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AB - Direct, atomic-scale visualization of polarization switching in a functional, polycrystalline, binary oxide via insitu high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) biasing is reported for the first time. Antiferroelectric (AFE) ZrO2 was used as the model system, which is important for commercial DRAMs and as emerging NVMs (through work-function engineering). We observed (1) clear shifting and coalescing of domains within a single grain, and (2) dramatic changes of the atomic arrangements and crystalline phases-both at voltages above the critical voltage measured for AFE switching. Similar synergistic in-situ structural-electrical characterization can pave the way to understand and engineer microscopic mechanisms for retention, fatigue, variability, sub-coercive switching and analog states in ferroelectric and AFE-based memory devices.

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Lombardo S, Nelson C, Chae K, Reyes-Lillo S, Tian M, Tasneem N et al. Atomic-scale imaging of polarization switching in an (anti-)ferroelectric memory material: Zirconia (ZrO2). In 2020 IEEE Symposium on VLSI Technology, VLSI Technology 2020 - Proceedings. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. 2020. 9265091. (Digest of Technical Papers - Symposium on VLSI Technology). doi: 10.1109/VLSITechnology18217.2020.9265091

Atomic-scale imaging of polarization switching in an (anti-)ferroelectric memory material: Zirconia (ZrO2)

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