Nanocomposite thin films containing AgInSbTe (AIST) particles embedded in an SiO(2) matrix was prepared by sputtering deposition and its feasibility for nonvolatile floating gate memory (NFGM) was investigated. The sample subjected to a 400 °C annealing exhibited a distinct hysteresis memory window (ΔV(FB)) shift = 6.6 V and charge density = 5.2 × 10(12) cm(-2) after ± 8 V gate voltage sweep. Electrical measurement revealed the current transport is via the Schottky emission in low applied field and the space-charge-limited conduction mechanism in high applied field in the samples, regardless of their thermal history. Transmission electron microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated that the metallic Sb(2)Te nanocrystals (NCs) with diameters about 5-7 nm dispersed in a nanocomposite layer may serve as the discrete charge-storage traps for nonvolatile memory. Analytical results illustrate the utilization of an AIST-SiO(2) nanocomposite layer as the core structure of NFGM devices is able to simplify the device structure and fabrication process.
An extremely large memory window shift of about 30.7 V and high charge storage density =2.3 × 10(13) cm(-2) at ± 23 V gate voltage sweep were achieved in the nonvolatile floating gate memory (NFGM) device containing the AgInSbTe (AIST)-SiO(2) nanocomposite as the charge trap layer and HfO(2)/SiO(2) as the blocking oxide layer. Due to the deep trap sites formed by high-density AIST nanocrystals (NCs) in the nanocomposite matrix and the high-barrier-height feature of the composite blocking oxide layer, a good retention property of the device with a charge loss of about 16.1% at ± 15 V gate voltage stress for 10(4) s at the test temperature of 85 °C was observed. In addition to inhibiting the Hf diffusion into the programming layer, incorporation of the SiO(2) layer prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition in the sample provided a good Coulomb blockade effect and allowed significant charge storage in AIST NCs. Analytical results demonstrated the feasibility of an AIST-SiO(2) nanocomposite layer in memory device fabrication with a simplified processing method and post-annealing at a comparatively low temperature of 400 °C in comparison with previous NC-based NFGM studies.
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