HfO2-based ferroelectric synaptic devices: challenges and engineering solutions

Abstract

HfO₂-based ferroelectric memories have garnered significant attention for their potential to serve as artificial synaptic devices owing to their scalability and CMOS compatibility. This review examines the key material properties and challenges associated with HfO₂-based ferroelectric artificial synaptic devices as well as the recent advancements in engineering strategies to improve their synaptic performance. The fundamental physics and material properties of HfO₂-based ferroelectrics are reviewed to understand the theoretical origin of the aforementioned technical issues in ferroelectric HfO₂-based synaptic devices. Based on the understanding, strategies to resolve the various technical issues from the device to array level are discussed, along with reviewing important progresses in recent studies. Based on these recent technical advancements, new perspectives to achieve high performance and highly reliable HfO₂-based ferroelectric synaptic devices and their array are provided.