Abstract
Physical properties of Hf-aluminate (HA) films with various compositions, deposited by atomic layer deposition, were investigated in terms of microstructure, band-gap, and band-offset with respect to Si. Charge trap flash (CTF) memory devices based on HA/SiO2 stacks as tunnel barriers were also fabricated and characterized. Modulation of HA film composition produced controlled changes of the film's band-gap and band-offset. Additionally, the tunneling efficiency of the HA/SiO2 tunnel barrier stacks was observed to be higher than that for a single SiO2 tunnel barrier, in particular at high voltage bias. The band-engineered CTF memory devices with HA/SiO2 tunnel barriers showed improved program/erase speed compared with those with single SiO2 tunnel barrier. The Al-rich HA/SiO 2 tunnel barriers showed a longer charge retention time with superior endurance characteristics; in contrast, the Hf-rich HA/SiO2 tunnel barrier showed degraded charge retention because of current leakage through crystallized regions in the film.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 041201 |
Journal | Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures |
Volume | 31 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2013 Jul |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was financially supported by the IT R&D program of MKE/KEIT [Development of novel 3D stacked devices and core materials for the next generation flash memory] and the second stage of the Brain Korea 21 project (BK21).
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering