Hidden structural phase transition assisted ferroelectric domain orientation engineering in Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 films
The polarization of HfO<sub>2</sub>-based ferroelectrics originates from the metastable orthorhombic phase formed during the tetragonal to monoclinic phase transition and is typically controlled by tuning the phase content. However, another way to control polarization via modulating ferroelectric domain orientations remains underexplored. This work uncovers a hidden tetragonal-orthorhombic phase transition pathway to engineer domain orientations and further polarization in polycrystalline Hf<sub>0.5</sub>Zr<sub>0.5</sub>O<sub>2</sub> using single-crystalline TiN substrates. Specifically, (001)<sub>O</sub> and/or (010)<sub>O</sub> domains, which fully contribute to remanent polarization under an electric field, are controllable in Hf<sub>0.5</sub>Zr<sub>0.5</sub>O<sub>2</sub> on TiN (001) and (111), enhancing remanent polarization compared to that on TiN (110). The key is the hidden transition from the tetragonal phase's longest c-axis to the orthorhombic phase's shorter b<sub>O</sub>/c<sub>O</sub>-axis, alongside the reported one to the longest a<sub>O</sub>-axis, assisted by periodic dislocations at the TiN/Hf<sub>0.5</sub>Zr<sub>0.5</sub>O<sub>2</sub> interface. These findings shed light on governing the polarization of Hf<sub>0.5</sub>Zr<sub>0.5</sub>O<sub>2</sub> films by controlling the interface dislocations and further domain orientations.
Authors
- Yuyan Fan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8325-3171)
- Chunlai Luo
- Wenwu Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9307-1566)
- Mengwei Si (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0397-7741)
- Yulong Dong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5669-6938)
- Yanwei Cao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1466-6543)
- Shunda Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-2601-8105)
- Junhao Chu
- Jiahui Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4087-8674)
- Danyang Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1142-3549)
- Xiuyan Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6847-163X)
- Jingquan Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4140-1516)
- Zhipeng Xue (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6772-7368)
- Zhen Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3613-3238)
Institutions
- University of Science and Technology of China (CN)
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University (CN)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Fudan University (CN)
- San’an Optoelectronics (China) (CN)
- Ningbo Institute of Industrial Technology (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2025-05-07
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59519-2
- Citations
- 11
- Primary Topic
- Ferroelectric and Negative Capacitance Devices
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 8.03
Funders
- Salt Science Research Foundation
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China
- Hunan University
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University