Leakage current evolution versus dielectric thickness in lead zirconate titanate thin film capacitors

Abstract

In this paper, the evolution of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) capacitor leakage current mechanism as a function of dielectric thickness has been investigated. It has been pointed out that PZT leakage current switches from Schottky to Poole–Frenkel conduction mechanisms as PZT thickness decreases. The leakage current evolution seems to be dependant on the presence of a dead layer at metal/PZT interface. The dead layer thickness is estimated at about 40 nm. The switch from an interface limited conduction mode to a bulk limited mode can be attributed to the presence of a higher defect concentration in the dead layer in comparison with PZT bulk.

Thickness Dependence of Ferroelectric and Optical Properties in Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47)O3 Thin Films

“…That means the interface would lead to a remarkably decreasing permittivity for the PZT film with a lower thickness, while such influence will decrease with increasing thickness [15]. The improved PZT thin films with the increasing density would lead to a lower leakage current, which can also explain the increase of permittivity [29,30,31].…”

Enhanced polarization and dielectricity in BaTiO3:NiO nanocomposite films modulated by the microstructure

“…Aer I-V data acquisition, several conductive mechanisms have been proposed for the leakage current evolutions, such as Schottky emission (SE), Poole-Frenkel emission (PF), Fowler-Nordheim tunneling (FN), and space charge limited current (SCLC). [60][61][62] It has been well accepted that the conduction mechanisms in BTO:NiO nanocomposite lms include two kinds: bulk limited (SCLC or PF) and interface limited (SE and FN). On the one hand, the J-E curves of the nanomultilayer lms cannot be tted well by the interface limited mechanism, indicating the bulk limited conduction mechanisms in these structures.…”

Percolation theory applied to PZT thin films capacitors breakdown mechanisms

“…Thus, understanding the impact of other defects on PZT capacitors reliability and integrated them in our simulation program might improve our breakdown model. These other defects might be included in a so called ''dead layer" at PZT-electrodes interfaces [13], or close to the capacitors periphery since the breakdown is known to be driven by top electrode perimeter [14].…”