Ultrahigh dielectric permittivity in Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin-film capacitors

Abstract The ever-shrinking electrostatic capacitor, which is capable of storing substantial quantities of electrical charge, has found widespread applications in high-storage-density dynamic random access memory and energy-efficient complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor devices. Despite the high...

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Main Authors: Wen Di Zhang, Zi Zheng Song, Shu Qi Tang, Jin Chen Wei, Yan Cheng, Bing Li, Shi You Chen, Zi Bin Chen, An Quan Jiang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57963-8
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author Wen Di Zhang
Zi Zheng Song
Shu Qi Tang
Jin Chen Wei
Yan Cheng
Bing Li
Shi You Chen
Zi Bin Chen
An Quan Jiang
author_facet Wen Di Zhang
Zi Zheng Song
Shu Qi Tang
Jin Chen Wei
Yan Cheng
Bing Li
Shi You Chen
Zi Bin Chen
An Quan Jiang
author_sort Wen Di Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The ever-shrinking electrostatic capacitor, which is capable of storing substantial quantities of electrical charge, has found widespread applications in high-storage-density dynamic random access memory and energy-efficient complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor devices. Despite the high energy storage densities (133–152 J/cm3) and efficiencies (75–90%) that have been realized using relaxor ferroelectric thick films, low-permittivity interfacial layers in the ultrathin films have caused the overall permittivity to be one to two orders of magnitude lower than expected. However, innovative use of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor-compatible HfO2-based materials with high permittivities (~52) could enable integration of these capacitors into few-nanometre-scale devices. This study reports an ultrahigh dielectric permittivity of 921, stored charge density of 349 μC/cm2, and energy density of 584 J/cm3 with nearly 100% efficiency within near-edge plasma-treated Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin-film capacitors when the Hf-based material’s ferroelectricity disappears suddenly after polarization fatigue. The ultrahigh dielectric permittivity originates from a distorted orthorhombic phase with ordered oxygen vacancies that enables high-density integration of extremely scaled logic and memory devices for low-voltage applications.
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spelling doaj-art-6d79d4e3a97c44bcb324a4d7fe1f4bdb2025-08-20T03:41:40ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-03-0116111010.1038/s41467-025-57963-8Ultrahigh dielectric permittivity in Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin-film capacitorsWen Di Zhang0Zi Zheng Song1Shu Qi Tang2Jin Chen Wei3Yan Cheng4Bing Li5Shi You Chen6Zi Bin Chen7An Quan Jiang8School of Microelectronics, Fudan UniversityState Key Laboratory of Ultra-precision Machining Technology, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversitySchool of Microelectronics, Fudan UniversitySchool of Microelectronics, Fudan UniversityKey Laboratory of Polar Materials and Devices (MOE), Department of Electronics, East China Normal UniversitySchool of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech UniversitySchool of Microelectronics, Fudan UniversityState Key Laboratory of Ultra-precision Machining Technology, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversitySchool of Microelectronics, Fudan UniversityAbstract The ever-shrinking electrostatic capacitor, which is capable of storing substantial quantities of electrical charge, has found widespread applications in high-storage-density dynamic random access memory and energy-efficient complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor devices. Despite the high energy storage densities (133–152 J/cm3) and efficiencies (75–90%) that have been realized using relaxor ferroelectric thick films, low-permittivity interfacial layers in the ultrathin films have caused the overall permittivity to be one to two orders of magnitude lower than expected. However, innovative use of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor-compatible HfO2-based materials with high permittivities (~52) could enable integration of these capacitors into few-nanometre-scale devices. This study reports an ultrahigh dielectric permittivity of 921, stored charge density of 349 μC/cm2, and energy density of 584 J/cm3 with nearly 100% efficiency within near-edge plasma-treated Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin-film capacitors when the Hf-based material’s ferroelectricity disappears suddenly after polarization fatigue. The ultrahigh dielectric permittivity originates from a distorted orthorhombic phase with ordered oxygen vacancies that enables high-density integration of extremely scaled logic and memory devices for low-voltage applications.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57963-8
spellingShingle Wen Di Zhang
Zi Zheng Song
Shu Qi Tang
Jin Chen Wei
Yan Cheng
Bing Li
Shi You Chen
Zi Bin Chen
An Quan Jiang
Ultrahigh dielectric permittivity in Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin-film capacitors
Nature Communications
title Ultrahigh dielectric permittivity in Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin-film capacitors
title_full Ultrahigh dielectric permittivity in Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin-film capacitors
title_fullStr Ultrahigh dielectric permittivity in Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin-film capacitors
title_full_unstemmed Ultrahigh dielectric permittivity in Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin-film capacitors
title_short Ultrahigh dielectric permittivity in Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin-film capacitors
title_sort ultrahigh dielectric permittivity in hf0 5zr0 5o2 thin film capacitors
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57963-8
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