# Fast Switching and High Polarization in Ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 Films

## TL;DR

Researchers improved ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 films to have both high polarization and fast switching by controlling redox conditions during growth.

## Contribution

Simultaneous optimization of high polarization and fast switching in ferroelectric films through controlled defect engineering.

## Key findings

- Optimized redox conditions during deposition enhance both polarization and switching speed in Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 films.
- Switching time is reduced when polarization aligns with internal electric fields.
- Defect control enables stable domain wall motion without performance loss.

## Abstract

HfO2‐based ferroelectric thin films exhibit promising potential for next‐generation nonvolatile memories and neuromorphic devices. Achieving both high polarization and fast switching is required, but optimizing one of them can be at the cost of degrading the other. This study achieves simultaneous fast switching and high polarization in Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 epitaxial films grown by pulsed laser deposition. The influence of redox conditions during film growth on the ferroelectric switching kinetics and domain wall motion is systematically explored. Switching spectroscopy and Rayleigh analysis reveal that optimized redox conditions, tuned by oxygen and argon pressures during Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 deposition, enable both enhanced polarization and switching speeds. Switching time can be further shortened when the final polarization state is aligned with the internal electric fields. The study challenges the trade‐off between switching speed and polarization, demonstrating that precise control of defects in the film can simultaneously optimize both.

Ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin films are grown under tuned redox conditions to simultaneously achieve high polarization and fast switching. Control of defect dipoles and internal fields enables stable domain wall motion without compromising performance. This work provides a pathway for designing fast and energy‐efficient ferroelectric devices.© 2026 WILEY‐VCH GmbH