Intrinsic switching leads to oxygen diffusion and breakdown in hafnia ferroelectrics
Conventional ferroelectrics exhibit well-defined polarization states linked through electric switching. In fluorite-structured ferroelectrics like hafnia, though, switching and oxygen diffusion seem to coexist, enriching the nature of ferroelectricity. Here we address the intrinsic, room-temperature switching and diffusion kinetics of hafnia ferroelectrics using machine-learning molecular dynamics. We identify two distinct switching mechanisms that are both active at realistic time scales. Critically, our simulations reveal that, because the lattice does not dissipate fast enough the heat originating from localized switching events, these two processes concatenate in an avalanche-like manner leading to oxygen conduction. Our results thus show that intrinsic switching leads to breakdown in hafnia ferroelectrics. They also suggest how this outcome might be avoided through suitably designed field pulses.