Imprint-Correlated Retention Loss in Hf₀.₅Zr₀.₅O₂ Ferroelectric Thin Film Through Wide-Temperature Characterizations

To address the concerns on the retention loss of HfO2-based ferroelectric (FE) devices in versatile applications, we conduct a comprehensive wide temperature range (250–400 K) characterization on a 9-nm Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO) film. It reveals that the retention will be damaged by the high temperature and incomplete polarization (fast speed and low amplitude operation). The dominant mechanism is believed to be the imprint effect, which occurs due to the migration of charged defects to the interface along the internal field caused by incomplete polarization. By addressing the intricacies of imprint behaviors and incomplete polarization, this work illuminates crucial aspects of retention loss in FE-HZO thin films.