Title :
Improved performance of flash memory by silicon nitride/silicon dioxide stack tunnel dielectric
Author :
Lai, H.Y. ; Chang-Liao, K.S. ; Wang, T.K. ; Song, Z.F.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Eng. & Syst. Sci., Nat. Tsing Hua Univ., Hsinchu, Taiwan
Abstract :
The operating properties of flash memory with tunnel dielectrics, comprising silicon nitride or silicon nitride/silicon dioxide (N/O) stack and treated with various annealing temperatures, are studied. The present work indicates that flash devices with N/O stack tunnel dielectrics have better program/erase speed and reliability than those with single Si3N4. The stack tunnel dielectric composed of a thicker Si3N4 and a thinner SiO2 exhibits better performance on flash memory operation. The flash devices having N/O stack tunnel dielectrics treated with lower annealing temperature show better performance on erase speed and charge retention but worse properties of read disturbance.
Keywords :
annealing; dielectric thin films; flash memories; integrated circuit reliability; silicon compounds; Si3N4; Si3N4-SiO2; annealing temperature; charge retention; dielectric thickness; flash memory; flash memory reliability; program/erase speed; read disturbance; silicon nitride/silicon dioxide stack tunnel dielectric; Annealing; Degradation; Dielectric devices; Flash memory; Furnaces; Leakage current; Silicon compounds; Stress; Temperature; Tunneling;
Conference_Titel :
Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, 2004. IPFA 2004. Proceedings of the 11th International Symposium on the
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-8454-7
DOI :
10.1109/IPFA.2004.1345611
