/
Article

The Physics of Ferroelectric Memories

JUL 01, 1998
The ability of ferroelectric materials to switch robustly from one polarization state to another forms the basis of a new thin film technology for storing data.
Orlando Auciello
James F. Scott
Ramamoorthy Ramesh

Imagine you are in the last stages of typing your thesis, the year is 1980, and it’s a hot, hazy summer afternoon, a thunderstorm brews on the horizon. Tense and tired, you have forgotten to save the document on your hard disk. Suddenly, lightning strikes! Your computer shuts down. Your final chapter is lost.

This article is only available in PDF format

References

  1. 1. A. I. Kingon, S. K. Striffer, C. Basceri, S. R. Summerfelt, MRS Bulletin 21, 46 (1996).

  2. 2. D. Dimos, H. N. Al‐Shareef, W. L. Warren, B. A. Turtle, J. Appl. Phys. 80, 1682 (1997).https://doi.org/JAPIAU

  3. 3. MRS Bulletin 21 (6), (7) (1996), O. Auciello, R. Ramesh, eds.

  4. 4. O. Auciello, K. D. Gifford, A. R. Krauss, in Ferroelectric Thin Films: Synthesis and Basic Properties, C. A. Paz de Araujo, J. F. Scott, and G. W. Taylor, eds., Gordon and Breach, New York, N.Y. (1996) p. 393.

  5. 5. J. F. Scott, F. M., C. A. Paz deAraujo, M. C. Scott, M. Huffman, MRS Bulletin 21, 33 (1996).

  6. 6. A. Gruverman, H. Tbkumoto, A. S. Prakash, S. Aggarwal, B. Yang, M. Wuttig, R. Ramesh, O. Auciello, T. Venkatesan, Appl. Phys. Lett. 71, 3492 (1997).https://doi.org/APPLAB

  7. 7. H. M. Duiker, P. D. Beale, J. F. Scott, C. A. Paz deAraujo, B. M. Melnick, J. D. Cuchiaro, L. D. McMillan, J. Appl. Phys. 68, 5783 (1990).https://doi.org/JAPIAU

  8. 8. J. F. Scott, Ferroelectric Reviews 1, 1 (1998).

  9. 9. P. K. Larsen, G. L. M. Klampschoer, M. J. E. Ulenaers, G. A. C. M. Spierings, R. Cuppens, Appl. Phys. Lett. 59, 611 (1991).https://doi.org/APPLAB

  10. 10. I. P. Batra, B. D. Silverman, Solid State Commun. 11, 291 (1972).https://doi.org/SSCOA4

  11. 11. T. Yamamoto, Integrated Ferroelectrics 12, 161 (1997).https://doi.org/IFEREU

  12. 12. Y. Ishibashi, H. Orikara, Ferroelectrics 9, 57 (1995).https://doi.org/FEROA8

  13. 13. H. Uchida, N. Soyama, K. Kageyama, K. Ogi, M. C. Scott, J. D. Cuchiaro, G. F. Derbenwick, L. D. McMillan, C. A. Paz de Araujo, Integrated Ferroelectics 16, 41 (1997).

  14. 14. W. J. Merz, Phys. Rev. 95, 690 (1954).https://doi.org/PHRVAO

More about the authors

Orlando Auciello, National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois.

James F. Scott, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Ramamoorthy Ramesh, University of Maryland, College Park.

Related content
/
Article
Since 2008, more than 100 colleges and universities in the US have stopped offering an undergraduate physics major. What happened?
/
Article
The thermodynamic and quantum mechanical properties of topological insulators provide a path toward scalable energy storage in information-based batteries.
/
Article
At the end of the turbulent 1960s, the postwar funding boom in US physics came to a crashing halt. The lessons learned then may be helpful to today’s physicists.
/
Article
Interviews with 22 successful early-career physical scientists and engineers reveal that networking has been one of the most critical ways to nurture their careers.
This Content Appeared In
pt-cover_1998_07.jpeg

Volume 51, Number 7

Get PT newsletters in your inbox

pt_newsletter_card_blue.png
PT The Week in Physics

A collection of PT's content from the previous week delivered every Monday.

pt_newsletter_card_darkblue.png
PT New Issue Alert

Be notified about the new issue with links to highlights and the full TOC.

pt_newsletter_card_pink.png
PT Webinars & White Papers

The latest webinars, white papers and other informational resources.

By signing up you agree to allow AIP to send you email newsletters. You further agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.