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Memory effect by charging of ultra‐small 2‐nm laser‐synthesized solution processable Si‐nanoparticles embedded in Si–Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 structure
Author(s) -
ElAtab Nazek,
Rizk Ayman,
Tekcan Burak,
Alkis Sabri,
Okyay Ali K.,
Nayfeh Ammar
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
physica status solidi (a)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1862-6319
pISSN - 1862-6300
DOI - 10.1002/pssa.201431802
Subject(s) - materials science , nanoparticle , hysteresis , quantum tunnelling , optoelectronics , layer (electronics) , silicon , dielectric , band diagram , non volatile memory , threshold voltage , analytical chemistry (journal) , nanotechnology , voltage , band gap , condensed matter physics , electrical engineering , transistor , chemistry , physics , engineering , chromatography
A memory structure containing ultra‐small 2‐nm laser‐synthesized silicon nanoparticles is demonstrated. The Si‐nanoparticles are embedded between an atomic layer deposited high‐κ dielectric Al 2 O 3 layer and a sputtered SiO 2 layer. A memory effect due to charging of the Si nanoparticles is observed using high frequency C – V measurements. The shift of the threshold voltage obtained from the hysteresis measurements is around 3.3 V at 10/−10 V gate voltage sweeping. The analysis of the energy band diagram of the memory structure and the negative shift of the programmed C – V curve indicate that holes are tunneling from p‐type Si via Fowler–Nordheim tunneling and are being trapped in the Si nanoparticles. In addition, the structures show good endurance characteristic (>10 5 program/erase cycles) and long retention time (>10 years), which make them promising for applications in non‐volatile memory devices.