Reversible oxygen migration and phase transitions in hafnia-based ferroelectric devices

A role for vacancies Hafnia-based materials are of interest because their potential use in microelectronic components. Hafnia-oxide is a ferroelectric material, but whether the polarization switching comes from polar crystal phases or migration oxygen has remained an open question. Nukala et al. attempted to resolve this controversy by conducting electron microscopy during operation hafnium zirconium oxide capacitor. The authors found that vacancy intertwined with switching, which implications these range applications. Science , issue p. 630