Individually addressable epitaxial ferroelectric nanocapacitor arrays with near Tb inch-2 density

Nat Nanotechnol. 2008 Jul;3(7):402-7. doi: 10.1038/nnano.2008.161. Epub 2008 Jun 15.

Abstract

Ferroelectric materials have emerged in recent years as an alternative to magnetic and dielectric materials for nonvolatile data-storage applications. Lithography is widely used to reduce the size of data-storage elements in ultrahigh-density memory devices. However, ferroelectric materials tend to be oxides with complex structures that are easily damaged by existing lithographic techniques, so an alternative approach is needed to fabricate ultrahigh-density ferroelectric memories. Here we report a high-temperature deposition process that can fabricate arrays of individually addressable metal/ferroelectric/metal nanocapacitors with a density of 176 Gb inch(-2). The use of an ultrathin anodic alumina membrane as a lift-off mask makes it possible to deposit the memory elements at temperatures as high as 650 degrees C, which results in excellent ferroelectric properties.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Electric Capacitance
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Information Storage and Retrieval*
  • Magnetics*
  • Membranes, Artificial*
  • Nanotechnology / instrumentation*
  • Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / instrumentation*

Substances

  • Membranes, Artificial