The crystal structure of hafnium oxide (HfO2), an inorganic compound, allows it to be deposited in ultra-thin films, which could improve the performance of next-generation sensors and semi-conductors. A thin-film ferroelectric material has been developed by scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology.
The team explained that ‘ferroelectric’ materials can switch between different states of electrical polarization in response to an external electric field, meaning they show promise for many applications, for example in electronic devices and computer memory.
The team found that one particular epitaxial film, YHO-7, exhibited ferroelectricity with a spontaneous polarization of 45 μC/cm and a Curie temperature of 450 ℃. A Curie temperature of 450 ℃ is extremely promising. The team confirmed that the new thin-film exhibits compatibility with Si-based CMOS and is robust in miniature forms.
