Working Principles and Performance Optimization of Nonvolatile 6T2C-SRAM With Hafnia-Based Ferroelectric Capacitors

Hafnia-based ferroelectric materials offer a range of advantages, including excellent CMOS compatibility, fast switching speed, and high endurance, positioning them as superior candidates to extend the nonvolatile functionality of static random access memory (SRAM). In this work, we systematically study the working principles of 6T2C nonvolatile SRAMs incorporating Hafnia-based ferroelectric capacitors (FECaps). By extensive simulations, we elucidate the impacts of device scaling (area size
$\textit{A}_{\text{FE}}$
and thickness
$\textit{t}_{\text{FE}})$
, transistor threshold voltage (
$\textit{V}_{\text{th}}$
), and supply voltage (
$\textit{V}_{\text{dd}}$
) on the device reliability, speed, and energy consumption. We also propose strategies for future performance optimization. Our work illustrates the great potential of such technology for low-power Internet-of-Things (IoTs) applications.