Electrode modified domain morphology in ferroelectric capacitors revealed by X-ray microscopy

TL;DR

This paper uses nano-XRD to image and analyze ferroelectric domains inside BiFeO3 capacitors, revealing domain disorder, polarization reorientation, and strain effects, thus advancing noninvasive characterization of buried ferroelectric structures.

Contribution

It demonstrates nano-XRD as a novel, noninvasive method for imaging and understanding buried ferroelectric domain structures and dynamics in capacitors.

Findings

Nano-XRD reveals domain disorder and polarization reorientation.

Biasing induces lattice tilt at electrode edges.

Nano-XRD shows potential sensitivity to domain walls.

Abstract

Ferroelectric thin films present a powerful platform for next generation computing and memory applications. However, domain morphology and dynamics in buried ferroelectric stacks have remained underexplored, despite the importance for real device performance. Here, nanoprobe X-ray diffraction (nano-XRD) is used to image ferroelectric domains inside BiFeO3-based capacitors, revealing striking differences from bare films such as local disorder in domain architecture and partial polarization reorientation. We demonstrate sensitivity to ferroelectric reversal in poled capacitors, revealing expansive/compressive (001) strain for up-/down-polarization using nano-XRD. We observe quantitative and qualitative differences between poling by piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) and in devices. Further, biasing induces lattice tilt at electrode edges which may modify performance in down-scaled devices. Direct comparison with PFM polarized structures even demonstrates potential nano-XRD sensitivity to domain walls. Our results establish nano-XRD as a noninvasive probe of buried ferroelectric domain morphologies and dynamics, opening avenues for operando characterization of energy-efficient nanoscale devices.