Resolving the Kay–Dunn limit and the speed–endurance dilemma in ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 for DRAM-class sub-volt capacitors
Abstract Ferroelectric hafnium zirconium oxide can increase charge density in scaled capacitors, but its high coercive field limits the low-voltage, high endurance switching required for dynamic random-access memory and embedded ferroelectric memories. Here we show that plasma-engineered (111)-textured TiN electrodes with N-rich, oxidation-resistant surfaces suppress interfacial oxidation and enable robust switching in 5 nm Hf 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 capacitors. The devices exhibit saturated hysteresis at 0.6 V, with 2 P r = 31.5 μC cm −2 and E c = 0.62 MV cm −1 , and no hard electrical breakdown through 10 12 bipolar cycles. Their nucleation-limited switching kinetics extrapolate to sub-nanosecond polarisation reversal at DRAM-relevant capacitor areas. At 1.1 V, circuit simulations of a common plate 1T–1 C cell yield short- and long-term stand-by sensing margins of 482 and 201 mV under a 20 fF bit line load. Electrode texture and interface engineering therefore enable low-voltage, high speed switching without compromising endurance, mitigating the practical Kay–Dunn scaling penalty and the speed–endurance dilemma.
Authors
- Su Yong Lee (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6720-496X)
- Young Yong Kim (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6102-9518)
- Taegyu Kwon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8988-0977)
- Geun Hyeong Park (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2520-6166)
- Min Hyuk Park (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6333-2668)
- Sanghyun Jo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0577-4789)
- JoonSuk Park
- Ho Jun Kim (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6752-8905)
- Daewoong Kwon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1159-3406)
- Young H. Lee (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8485-6807)
- Chang Hwa Jung (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7705-4283)
- Se Hyun Kim (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7818-1903)
- Hyun Woo Jeong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5226-2990)
- Moonseek Jeong
- Hanjin Lim
- Hyeong Seok Choi
- Sungwook Park
- Ga Yeon Lee
- Seunghwa Jeong
- Da Hyun Kim
- Dong Hyun Lee
- Yong Hyeon Cho
Institutions
- Chonnam National University (KR)
- Pohang University of Science and Technology (KR)
- Seoul National University (KR)
- Samsung (South Korea) (KR)
- Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (KR)
- Samsung Electronics (South Korea) (KR)
- Institute of Engineering Research (KR)
- Hanyang University (KR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2026-10-29
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-78705-4
- Primary Topic
- Ferroelectric and Negative Capacitance Devices
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Research Foundation
- Pohang University of Science and Technology
- Seoul National University
- Ministry of Science and ICT, South Korea
- Samsung
- National Center for Inter-University Research Facilities, Seoul National University