Progress on hafnium oxide-emerging ferroelectric materials and applications

Since the discovery of ferroelectricity in Si-doped HfO₂ in 2011, HfO₂-based materials have attracted extensive interest from researchers. The various advantages of HfO₂-based materials provide a broad research prospect in the field of ferroelectric materials and devices. Researchers have conducted effective studies on the origin of ferroelectricity, wake-up effect, fatigue effect, and the potential in device applications. These studies contribute to a better understanding of the properties and applications of HfO₂-based materials. This article provides a comprehensive review of the origin and influencing factors of ferroelectricity in HfO₂, advantages in material applications, and limitations in applications from multiple perspectives. It also introduces the currently mature methods for preparing HfO₂-based ferroelectric materials and cutting-edge applications in different device fields. Finally, the future development prospects of HfO₂-based materials are also discussed.