Performance Evaluation of Field-Enhanced P-Channel Split-Gate Flash Memory

Author

Chu, Wen-Ting ; Lin, Hao-Hsiung ; Yu-Hsiung Wang ; Hsieh, Chia-Ta ; Lin, Yung-Tao ; Wang, Chung S.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng., Nat. Taiwan Univ., Taipei, Taiwan

Volume

26

Issue

9

fYear

2005

Firstpage

670

Lastpage

672

Abstract

A p-channel split-gate Flash memory cell, employing a field-enhanced structure, is investigated in this letter. A cell with a sharp poly-tip structure is utilized to enhance the electric field, while using Fowler–Nordheim tunneling through the interpoly oxide. The cell demonstrated an erase voltage as low as 12 V. In cell programming, both channel-hot-hole impact ionization induced channel-hot-electrons (CHE) and band-to-band tunneling induced hot electrons (BBHE) are evaluated. BBHE shows an injection efficiency of $\\sim$ 2 orders in magnitude higher than that of CHE. The cell also demonstrated an acceptable program disturb window, which is of high concern in a p-channel stacked-gate cell. Both programming approaches can pass 300 k program/erase cycles.

Keywords

CMOS memory circuits; electric potential; flash memories; impact ionisation; performance evaluation; semiconductor device reliability; tunnelling; Fowler-Nordheim tunneling; band-to-band tunneling; channel hot electrons; channel-hot-hole impact ionization; electric field enhancement; erase voltage; field-enhanced p-channel split-gate flash memory; field-enhanced structure; flash memory cell; injection efficiency; interpoly oxide; p-channel stacked-gate cell; program disturb window; sharp polytip structure; CMOS technology; Channel hot electron injection; Energy consumption; Flash memory; Impact ionization; Low voltage; Nonvolatile memory; Silicon compounds; Split gate flash memory cells; Tunneling; Field-enhanced structure; Flash memory; p-channel; split-gate;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Device Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0741-3106

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LED.2005.853633

Filename

1498994