Antiferroelectric Multilayers Devices: a Platform for Energy and Information Storage

This work demonstrates a multifunctional platform that integrates energy storage and multi-bit memory capabilities using multilayer structures composed of antiferroelectric (AFE) Si:HfO2 layers with interleaved dielectric (DE) layers. We have fabricated multilayer AFE/dielectric capacitors with ultrathin 1 nm Al2O3 DE layers between the functional 10 nm AFE layers with up to 4 layers of Al2O3 and 4 layers of AFE, exploiting the internal built-in electric fields, with energy storage density up to 50 J/cm3, and enable stable, voltage-dependent multi-bit operation. The functions of energy and information storage within a compact doped-hafnia platform show the way towards a qualitatively new level of integration for future autonomous low-power systems for information processing. Our findings highlight a promising route for energy-efficient, high-density memory in next-generation electronics.