Stabilization of ferroelectric HfxZr1-xO2 films using a millisecond flash lamp annealing technique

We report on the stabilization of ferroelectric HfxZr1-xO2 (HZO) films crystallized using a low thermal budget millisecond flash lamp annealing technique. Utilizing a 120 s 375 degrees C preheat step combined with millisecond flash lamp pulses, ferroelectric characteristics can be obtained which are comparable to that achieved using a 300 s 650 degrees C rapid thermal anneal. X-ray diffraction, capacitance voltage, and polarization hysteresis analysis consistently point to the formation of the ferroelectric phase of HZO. A remanent polarization (P-r) of similar to 21 mu C/cm(2) and a coercive field (E-c) of similar to 1.1 MV/cm are achieved in 10 nm thick HZO layers. Such a technique promises a new alternative solution for low thermal budget formation of ferroelectric HZO films. (C) 2018 Author(s).