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HfO$_2$-based ferroelectrics are one of the most actively developedfunctional materials for memory devices. However, in HfO$_2$-basedferroelectric devices, dielectric breakdown is a main failure mechanism duringrepeated polarization switching. Elucidation of the breakdown process maybroaden the scope of applications for the ferroelectric HfO$_2$. Here, wereport direct observations of a breakdown process in HfO$_2$-basedferroelectric capacitors, by \textit{in-situ} laser-based photoemissionelectron microscopy (laser-PEEM). We have not only clearly visualized the harddielectric breakdown (HDB) spot, but also observed the regions responsible forthe soft dielectric breakdown (SDB) which is a precursor phenomenon to HDB. Itwas found that the low-resistance region formed after SDB is wider than theconduction path formed after HDB. Furthermore, our spectromicroscopic analysisrevealed that the photoelectron spectrum after SDB shows an enhancement inintensity without spectral-shape modulation, interpreted that the initiallyexisted defects are increased. In the HDB spot, however, an additional shoulderstructure was observed. These results provide spectroscopic evidence that theelectronic states responsible for the conduction path after SDB are differentfrom those after HDB. Through this work, we propose this microscopic approachas a versatile tool for studying buried materials as they are, accelerating thedevelopment of material engineering for advanced electronic devices.

Non-Destructive Imaging of Breakdown Process in Ferroelectric Capacitors Using \textit{In-situ} Laser-Based Photoemission Electron Microscopy