Write/erase degradation in source side injection flash EEPROM´s: characterization techniques and wearout mechanisms

Author

Wellekens, Dirk ; Van Houdt, Jan ; Faraone, Lorenzo ; Groeseneken, Guido ; Maes, Herman E.

Author_Institution

IMEC, Leuven, Belgium

Volume

42

Issue

11

fYear

1995

fDate

11/1/1995 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1992

Lastpage

1998

Abstract

In this paper, an in-depth analysis is presented of the write/erase degradation in Source Side Injection Flash EEPROM cells, using the HIMOS cell as a typical example. The different mechanisms governing the degradation are studied and quantified by combining UV erasure and I-V measurements with a charge pumping analysis. Both procedures are shown to disclose two effects contributing to the change of the threshold voltage window: a change in the amount of charge on the floating gate due to a decrease in the injection current, accompanied by the series effect of oxide and interface charges locally trapped above the channel. By correlating the results from charge pumping and I-V measurements, an estimate is made of the spatial extent of the damaged region

Keywords

CMOS memory circuits; EPROM; integrated circuit measurement; integrated circuit reliability; HIMOS cell; I-V measurements; UV erasure; charge pumping analysis; damaged region; double polysilicon CMOS process; floating gate charge; injection current; interface charges; oxide charges; source side injection flash EEPROM; threshold voltage window; wearout mechanisms; write/erase degradation; Australia; Charge measurement; Charge pumps; Current measurement; Degradation; EPROM; Galois fields; Nonvolatile memory; Secondary generated hot electron injection; Threshold voltage;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9383

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/16.469408

Filename

469408