Reversible oxygen migration and phase transitions in hafnia-based ferroelectric devices

A role for vacancies Hafnia-based materials are of interest because of their potential use in microelectronic components. Hafnia-oxide is a ferroelectric material, but whether the polarization switching comes from the polar crystal phases or the migration of oxygen vacancies has remained an open question. Nukala et al. attempted to resolve this controversy by conducting electron microscopy during the operation of a hafnium zirconium oxide capacitor. The authors found that vacancy migration is intertwined with the ferroelectric switching, which has implications for the use of these materials in a range of microelectronic applications. Science , this issue p. 630