We show here, using fundamental energy storage relationships for capacitors, that there are severe constraints upon what can be realized utilizing ferroelectric materials as FET dielectrics. A basic equation governing all small signal behavior is derived, a negative capacitance quality factor is defined based upon it, and thousands of carefully measured devices are evaluated. We show that no instance of negative capacitance occurs within our huge database. Furthermore, we demonstrate that highly nonlinear biasing behavior in a series stack could be misinterpreted as giving a negative capacitance.

Magnetic tunnel junctions with a ferrimagnetic barrier layer have been studied to understand the role of the barrier layer in the tunneling process -a factor that has been largely overlooked until recently. Epitaxial oxide junctions of highly spin polarized La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 and Fe 3 O 4 electrodes with magnetic NiMn 2 O 4 (NMO) insulating barrier layers provide a magnetic tunnel junction system in which we can probe the effect of the barrier by comparing junction behavior above and below the Curie temperature of the barrier layer. When the barrier is paramagnetic, the spin polarized transport is dominated by interface scattering and surface spin waves; however, when the barrier is ferrimagnetic, spin flip scattering due to spin waves within the NMO barrier dominates the transport. 72.25.Mk,75.70.Cn

Epitaxial magnetic tunnel junctions with electrodes of spinel-structure Fe3O4 and perovskite La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 have been fabricated and characterized. Spinel barrier layers of magnetic FeGa2O4 and nominally nonmagnetic Mg2TiO4 were used to provide a good interface with the more sensitive Fe3O4 electrode interface. Junction magnetoresistances (JMRs) of up to −11% at 60K and −26% at 70K were observed for FeGa2O4 and Mg2TiO4 barrier junctions, respectively. The JMR bias dependence and junction resistance versus temperature data indicate that a majority of the junctions are dominated by elastic tunneling below about 50mV and by inelastic hopping through the barrier at higher bias.

Sputter-deposited Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 films on (001) MgO were characterized for their dielectric properties with different lattice structures. With varying Ar:O2 ratios during deposition, the films showed either in-plane (c<a) or out-of-plane (c>a) tetragonal distortions, significantly affecting the dielectric constant and tunability. The dielectric constant exhibited clear hysteresis with dc bias at room temperature, indicating that the films were ferroelectric. The relationship between the dielectric properties and the distortions was the reverse of that observed in films deposited by pulsed laser deposition. The anisotropic in-plane dielectric behavior can be understood by relating polarization to film distortions and to the presence of permanent dipoles.