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Ultrathin ferroelectric-based nanoelectronic devices and their applications

Mircea Dragoman1, Martino Aldrigo1, Daniela Dragoman2,3, Sergiu Iordanescu1, Adrian Dinescu1, Silviu Vulpe1, Mircea Modreanu4
1National Institute for Research and Development in Microtechnologies (IMT Bucharest), Erou Iancu Nicolae Street 126A, 077190 Voluntari (Ilfov), Romania
2Univ. of Bucharest, Physics Faculty, P.O. Box MG-11, 077125 Bucharest, Romania
3Academy of Romanian Scientists, Splaiul Independentei 54, 050094 Bucharest, Romania
4Tyndall National Institute-University College Cork, Lee Maltings, Dyke Parade, Cork, T12 R5CP, Ireland

Nowadays ferroelectric materials are of ever-increasing interest for memories, neuromorphic and high-frequency applications. Downscaling their thickness to just a few nanometers has demonstrated benefits in terms of their electrical properties, especially for microwave and millimeter-wave electronic devices and components. However, a tradeoff is necessary when using such materials for memories, where a high coercive field hinders ferroelectric's endurance. Besides insulator ferroelectrics, a new class of two-dimensional semiconductor ferroelectrics has emerged with unprecedented properties, for example suitable in the fabrication of field-effect transistors with a subthreshold swing well below 60 mV/decade. The research in the field of hafnia-based ferroelectrics has also led to the rediscovery of interesting phenomena, like the generation of a pyroelectric current inside a ferroelectric as a result of a microwave excitation. In this work, we present a comprehensive collection of the most promising developments of ultrathin ferroelectrics for a wide range of electronic applications, together with current limitations and perspectives for future enhancements.