Abstract
Conformal deposition of wurtzite ferroelectrics, which is needed for their use in scaled nonvolatile memories, is challenging using current physical vapor deposition techniques. To overcome the conformality barrier, this work demonstrates ferroelectricity in wurtzite Zn1-xMgxO thin films prepared by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition, which is a non-line-of-sight deposition method. Films ranging in composition from x = 0.00 to x = 0.58 are predominantly wurtzite phase and exhibit a (0001)-texture. Increasing the magnesium content decreases the c/a ratio, increases the optical bandgap energy, increases the piezoelectric response, and enables polarization reversal. Clear polarization switching is demonstrated in 50 nm thick Zn1-xMgxO films by piezoresponse force microscopy in compositions containing x = 0.46 and x = 0.58.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 9748-9754 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Nano Letters |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue number | 24 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 18 2025 |
Funding
This material is based upon work supported by the Center for 3D Ferroelectric Microelectronics Manufacturing (3DFeM2), an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences Energy Frontier Research Centers program under Award Number DE-SC0021118. The authors acknowledge Applied Materials, Inc. for providing the platinized silicon used in this study. RBS measurements were performed by Daniele Cherniak at the University of Albany, State University of New York. The piezoresponse force microscopy research was supported by the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS), which is a U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science User Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Keywords
- Atomic Layer Deposition
- Ferroelectric
- Thin Films
- Wurtzite
- Zinc Magnesium Oxide