Nanowire transistors with ferroelectric gate dielectrics: Enhanced performance and memory effects

Abstract

Integration of ferroelectric materials into nanoscale field-effect transistors offers enormous promise for superior transistor performance and also intriguing memory effects. In this study, we have incorporated lead zirconate titanate (PZT) into ${\mathrm{In}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3$ nanowire transistors to replace the commonly used ${\mathrm{SiO}}_2$ as the gate dielectric. These transistors exhibited substantially enhanced performance as a result of the high dielectric constant of PZT, as revealed by a 30-fold increase in the transconductance and a 10-fold reduction in the subthreshold swing when compared to similar ${\mathrm{SiO}}_2$ -gated devices. Furthermore, memory effects were observed with our devices, as characterized by a counter-clockwise loop in current-versus-gate-bias curves that can be attributed to the switchable remnant polarization of PZT. Our method can be easily generalized to other nanomaterials systems and may prove to be a viable way to obtain nanoscale memories.