Temperature dependence of capacitance/current–voltage characteristics of highly (0001)-oriented YMnO3 thin films on Si

Highly (0001)-oriented YMnO3 thin films on Si(100) substrates were obtained by using a stable precursor solution and rapid thermal annealing at a low temperature of 650 °C in a chemical solution deposition process. Temperature-dependent capacitance–voltage (C–V) and current–voltage (I–V) characteristics were discussed in a metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor structure. At 300 K, the voltage-dependent increase of the memory window (ΔV) in the C–V curve and the asymmetric I–V curve were attributed to the formation of positive interfacial charges by field- and thermal-excited electron transport. On the other hand, at 220 K, the voltage-independent ΔV was attributed to ferroelectric polarization switching.