Ferroelectric Transistors with Nanowire Channel: Toward Nonvolatile Memory Applications

Abstract

We report the fabrication and characterization of ZnO nanowire memory devices using a ferroelectric Pb(Zr(0.3)Ti(0.7))O(3) (PZT) film as the gate dielectric and the charge storage medium. With a comparison to nanowire transistors based on SiO(2) gate oxide, the devices were evaluated in terms of their electric transport, retention, and endurance performance. Memory effects are observed as characterized by an eminent counterclockwise loop in I-V(g) curves, which is attributed to the switchable remnant polarization of PZT. The single-nanowire device exhibits a high (up to 10(3)) on/off ratio at zero gate voltage. Our results give a proof-of-principle demonstration of the memory application based on a combination of nanowires (as channels) and ferroelectric films (as gate oxide).

Dependence of energy transfer and photoluminescence on tailored defects in Eu-doped ZnO nanosheets-based microflowers

“…The use of a semiconductor host enables minority carrier injection to excite RE 4f shell electrons, resulting in 4f shell luminescence. ZnO is a wide bandgap II-VI semiconductor (3.37 eV) [4]. It is economical, environmental friendly, and exhibits high thermal and chemical stability [5][6][7].…”

Settling the “Dead Layer” Debate in Nanoscale Capacitors

“…Ferroelectrics have a lot to offer: the reversible remanent polarization, which defines the ferroelectric, can be used for both non-volatile binary data storage and for altering local electric fields in field-effect transistors; [6,7] the high dielectric permittivities in these materials can be used for efficient dynamic charge storage in DRAM memory elements; [8] and the degree to which the permittivity can be altered using bias electric fields (the tunability) makes ferroelectrics extremely useful for smart tunable antennae, [9] as well as for photonic and plasmonic devices where field-controlled variations in refractive index are needed. [10][11][12] In practice, though, it is a frustrating irony that the key functional properties that make ferroelectric materials so attractive in the first place are almost universally observed to be degraded when in the form of a thin film, as is usually needed for the kinds of devices mentioned.…”

Side‐Gated In2O3 Nanowire Ferroelectric FETs for High‐Performance Nonvolatile Memory Applications

“…In recent years, ferroelectric field‐effect transistors (FeFETs) have been widely studied as an important type of memory due to their remarkable characteristics of nonvolatility, low power consumption, fast operation speed, and nondestructive memory operation 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Until now, among all promising ferroelectric materials explored in FeFETs, organic ferroelectric polymers contain the exceptional advantages of light weight, mechanical flexibility, and low‐temperature solution‐base processing, which are ideal for the large area technological utilizations 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.…”

“…During the device operation, once a suitable negative gate pulse is applied onto the gate, the polarizations of the ferroelectric dielectric layer will be aligned from the NW to the tip of the gate electrode. When the gate voltage pulse is removed, the remnant polarization of the ferroelectrics provides a local negative field effect,2, 16 which depletes the electrons in the In 2 O 3 NW channel and results in a low drain current (i.e., the high resistance state as the off‐state for erase), as depicted in Figure 1c. In contrast, as seen in Figure 1d, when a positive V gs pulse is applied, the NW channel becomes conductive due to the electron accumulation and allows a high drain current (i.e., the low resistance state as the on‐state for program).…”