Temperature Dependent Thermal Properties of Thin Film Hafnium Oxide

HfO
2
is a crucial material for the next generation's transistors, memristors, and neuromorphic devices. Typical electronic components employ HfO
2
films with a nanometer-scale thickness, whose thermal properties may depend on film thickness and temperature and could significantly impact device temperature, performance, and reliability. Using frequency-domain thermoreflectance, the thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity of HfO
2
films of varying thicknesses at temperatures between 300 K and 480 K are determined. It was discovered that the thermal conductivity of thin-film HfO
2
increases with temperature. Due to its increased crystalline content, the thicker sample has a higher thermal conductivity and a smaller volumetric heat capacity.