Ferroelectric Switching in FEFET: Physics of the Atomic Mechanism and Switching Dynamics in HfZrOx, HfO2 with Oxygen Vacancies and Si dopants

The fine balance between dipole-field energy and anion drift force defines the switching mechanism during polarization reversal: for the first time we show that only Pbcm mechanism obeys the ferroelectric switching physics, whereas P42/nmc (or any other) mechanism does not. However, with lower energy barrier, it represents an important antiferroelectric mechanism. Constraints relaxation can lead to 90° polarization rotation (domain deactivation). Intrinsically, the Si/V_O-doping can switch faster than undoped HfO₂ or HfZrO_x. Theoretical Arrhenius model / intrinsic material switching (DFT) overestimates the switching speed extracted from experiments.