Electrical properties of ferroelectric YMnO3 films deposited on n-type Si (111) substrates

TL;DR

This study investigates the electrical properties of ferroelectric YMnO3 films on n-type Si substrates, revealing hysteresis in polarization, temperature-dependent memory window, and conduction mechanisms related to oxygen vacancies.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the interface states, conduction mechanisms, and effects of annealing on YMnO3 thin films deposited by nebulized spray pyrolysis.

Findings

Hysteretic C-V behavior indicates polarization switching.

Memory window decreases with temperature.

Leakage current follows space-charge limited conduction.

Abstract

YMnO3 thin films were grown on n - type Si substrate by nebulized spray pyrolysis in Metal - Ferroelectric - Semiconductor (MFS) configuration. The C-V characteristics of the film in MFS structure exhibit hysteretic behavior consistent with the polarization charge switching direction, with the memory window decreasing with increase in temperature. The density of interface states decreases with the increase in the annealing temperature. Mapping of the silicon energy band gap with the interface states has been carried out. The leakage current measured in the accumulation region, is lower in well-crystallized thin films and obeys a space- charge limited conduction mechanism. The calculated activation energy from the dc leakage current characteristics of Arhennius plot reveals that the activation energy correspond to the oxygen vacancy motion