Interplay Between Switching and Retention in HfO 2 -Based Ferroelectric FETs

Long data retention is a critical requirement for many of the potential applications of HfO ₂ -based ferroelectric field-effect transistors (FeFETs). However, methods for its rapid assessment are still missing. In this article, we report a detailed investigation of the retention and switching properties of FeFETs fabricated in the 28-nm high- ${k}$ metal gate technology. We identify a clear correlation between the two properties and propose a method for fast prediction of the device retention behavior, which can be easily adopted to judge different fabrication processes. Finally, we extend the validity of the method to a direct assessment of disturb-free operating conditions, which may be particularly valuable for FeFET array operation.