Title :
High-Program/Erase-Speed SONOS With In Situ Silicon Nanocrystals
Author :
Chiang, Tsung-Yu ; Chao, Tien Sheng ; Wu, Yi-Hong ; Yang, Wen-uh
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electrophys., Nat. Chiao Tung Univ., Hsinchu
Abstract :
In this letter, for the first time, we have successfully fabricated silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) devices with embedded silicon nanocrystals (Si-NCs) in silicon nitride using in situ method. This process is simple and compatible to modern IC processes. Different Si-NCs deposition times by in situ method were investigated at first. SONOS devices with embedded Si-NCs in silicon nitride exhibit excellent characteristics in terms of larger memory windows (> 5.5 V), lower operation voltage, high P/E speed, and longer retention time (> 108 s for 13% charge loss).
Keywords :
elemental semiconductors; embedded systems; flash memories; nanoelectronics; silicon; silicon compounds; wide band gap semiconductors; IC process; Si-SiO2-SiN-SiO2-Si; charge loss; fabrication process; high-program/erase-speed SONOS devices; in situ embedded silicon nanocrystals; memory windows; silicon nitride; silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon devices; Memory window; nonvolatile memory; retention time; silicon nanocrystals (Si-NC);
Journal_Title :
Electron Device Letters, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/LED.2008.2002944
