Memory characteristics of Al nanocrystals embedded in Al2O3 layers

Byoungjun Park, Kyoungah Cho, Byung Moo Moon, Sangsig Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The capacitance characteristics of aluminum nanocrystal-embedded metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors with gate layers composed of Al2O3 layers are investigated in this work. The capacitance versus voltage (C-V) curves obtained from a representative MOS capacitor embedded with aluminum nanocrystals synthesized by the thermal treatment process exhibit the window of flat-band voltage shift, which indicates the presence of charge storages in the aluminum nanocrystals. Their hysteresis curves are dependent on the range of sweep voltage. The counterclockwise hysteresis and leftward shift of the flat-band voltages observed from the C-V curves signify that electrons are trapped in a floating gate layer consisting of the aluminum nanocrystals present between two Al2O3 layers in the MOS capacitor, and that these trapped electrons originate from the p-type Si substrate.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1627-1630
Number of pages4
JournalMicroelectronic Engineering
Volume84
Issue number5-8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2007 May

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was supported by the National Research Program for the 0.1 Terabit Non-Volatile Memory Development (10022965-2005-11), National Research Laboratory (M10500000045-05J0000-04510), National R&D Project for Nano Science and Technology (10022916-2005-21), Center for Integrated-Nano-Systems (CINS) of Korea Research Foundation (KRF-2005-005-D00087).

Copyright:
Copyright 2008 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • AlO
  • Aluminum
  • High-k
  • Memory
  • Nanocrystal

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Surfaces, Coatings and Films
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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