Reduced coercive field and enhanced ferroelectric polarization of Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 film through electric-field-assisted rapid annealing

Hafnium oxide–based ferroelectric materials emerged as promising candidates for constructing next-generation high-density memory devices due to their silicon compatibility. However, the high coercive field ( E c , typically exceeding 1.0 MV/cm) puts forward challenges to high operating voltage and limited endurance performance. To overcome these limitations, a strategy is utilized by applying an in-situ direct current electric field during rapid thermal process (RTP). This approach enables simultaneous reduction of coercive field and enhancement of ferroelectric polarization in Hf 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 (HZO). Notably, a record-low E c (∼0.79 MV/cm) is achieved among atomic layer deposition-grown Zr-doped HfO 2 ferroelectric films, facilitating lower operation voltage, faster switching speed, and improved endurance characteristics. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis reveals that the ferroelectric domains in samples through electric field assisted-RTP exhibit a relatively preferential out-of-plane orientation compared to normal RTP-treated samples, which is the underlying mechanism in reducing the coercive field and enhancing ferroelectric polarization. This study introduces a practical and effective method for optimizing the overall performance of HZO films, underscoring their potential for application in non-volatile memory technologies. • Electric field assisted rapid thermal process is designed to simultaneously reduce coercive field and improve polarization. • Record-low coercive field of ∼0.79 MV/cm in atomic layer deposition-grown Hf x Zr 1– x O 2 ferroelectric films is obtained. • HRTEM results reveal a higher proportion of out-of-plane polarization component in samples annealed with an electric field.