Demonstration of 1 V Reliable FeRAM Operation: <i>V</i>_c Engineering Using Quasi-Chirality of Hf_1–<i>x</i>Zr_<i>x</i>O₂ in a Nanolaminate Structure

Hafnia thin films are known to demonstrate excellent performance with strong ferroelectricity and high scalability, making them promising candidates for CMOS-compatible materials. However, the reliability of ferroelectric devices must be further improved. This study developed a Hf_1-<i>x</i>Zr_<i>x</i>O₂ ferroelectric capacitor with a nanolaminate structure that operated at remarkably low voltages, demonstrating excellent retention (>10 years/85 °C) and endurance (>10¹⁰ cycles). The exceptional performance is attributed to the presence of thin tetragonal phase layers within the thick ferroelectric layers, which decreased the switching barrier in the nanolaminate films. Further, we verified phase crystallization via a detailed analysis of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images. The improved switching propagation in the nanolaminate films was confirmed through switching speed measurements and theoretical models. Furthermore, we addressed pinching issues by precisely controlling the Hf/Zr ratio and O₃ treatment. The initial imprint and retention characteristics were improved by interfacial engineering. Moreover, by reducing the thickness, we have achieved reliable operation at 1.0 V with a 5.5 nm-thick device while maintaining high retention and endurance. This study is a significant step toward the realization of the longstanding problem of ferroelectric random access memory operation voltage with respect to endurance and retention characteristics.