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Materials and technologies for photonics and electronics

Emergent ferroelectric thin films

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Program

In recent years, new materials have been discovered to exhibit ferroelectricity, generating significant interest for their use in memory and other device applications. Both academic institutions and industry are actively exploring the synthesis of thin films, progressing on the understanding of the ferroelectric properties, and producing devices.

Scope:

Ferroelectric materials have gained strong interest not only for memory and neuromorphic computing applications, but also as energy harvesters, energy storage capacitors and sensors, among others. For these applications, CMOS-compatibility and low ferroelectric switching energy is essential.

Recent investigations introduced different CMOS-compatible emergent ferroelectric thin films, such as fluorite-type (e.g. HfO₂), wurtzite-type semiconductors (e.g. AlScN and ZnMgO). Thin films of these materials are now being fabricated using a variety of chemical and physical techniques where the effects of growth conditions, doping, and electrodes used have a strong impact on the phase formation, ferroelectric properties and device operation. Notable progress has been achieved to achieve a high ferroelectric polarization. However, understanding and control of the different phases and defects is still limited, and there is almost no control of important properties as coercive field. Further progress is needed to improve endurance and better understand switching. Apart from polycrystalline films, most recent research on epitaxial films, membranes and multifunctional structures are permitting not only to better understand properties, but also to open the opportunity to explore novel devices. In addition, ferroelectric membranes (based on fluorites, perovskites,etc.), and new polar topologies in low dimensional systems of perovskites and other oxides are also of particular interest.

This symposium aims to serve as a platform where the most recent results on this topic are presented. The symposium aims to facilitate dialogue on both new and old topics, such as recent developments in theory and simulation, thin film growth, as well as the characterization of novel ferroelectrics and emerging applications.

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