Ultra-thin Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin-film-based ferroelectric tunnel junction via stress induced crystallization

We report on 4.5-nm-thick Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO) thin-film-based ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs) with a tungsten (W) bottom electrode. The HZO on the W electrode exhibits stable ferroelectricity with a remanent polarization of 14 μC/cm2, an enhanced tunneling electroresistance of 16, and excellent synaptic properties. We found that a large tensile stress was induced on a HZO thin film, owing to a low thermal expansion coefficient of the W bottom electrode. The low thermal expansion coefficient results in the effective formation of an orthorhombic phase, even in an ultra-thin HZO film. This was verified by a comparative study of the electrical characteristics, grazing-angle incidence x-ray diffraction, and residual stress measurement of the HZO film on various bottom electrodes with different thermal expansion coefficients. In addition, this study demonstrates the suitable functions of the FTJ for electronic synapses, such as analog-like resistance transition under various pulse schemes. The fabricated stress-engineered FTJ exhibits an appropriate conductance ratio, linearly modulated long-term potentiation and depression characteristics, and excellent reliability. These characteristics render FTJs ideal electronic devices for neuromorphic computing systems.