Highly scalable vertical bandgap-engineered NAND flash memory

In this work, highly scalable charge trap flash (CTF) memory with bandgap-engineered storage node and vertical channel is proposed. Due to the compact cell layout without individual junction contacts, NAND flash memory has the most suitable architecture for mobile data storage media. In other to achieve even higher integration density, two NAND flash memory cells in the conventional sting are put together to have a common vertical channel. Highly scalable vertical BE-NAND flash memory has been successfully fabricated and the conditions for reliable operation have been investigated. The excellent performances of the proposed flash memory demonstrate that it has the feasibility and potential for the advanced 3-D flash memory applications.