Title :
New floating-gate AlGaAs/GaAs memory devices with graded-gap electron injector and long retention times
Author :
Capasso, Federico ; Beltram, Fabio ; Malik, Roger J. ; Walker, John F.
Author_Institution :
AT&T Bell Lab., Murray Hill, NJ, USA
Abstract :
AlGaAs/GaAs floating-gate memory devices are reported. Compared with conventional Si-based floating-gate device this structure operates on a different injection method. Electrons are injected from the control gate into the floating gate using AlGaAs graded-gap barrier. This has the advantage of significantly smaller WRITE voltages. Charge retention times ranging from 2 s at 300 K to 4 h at 140 K have been measured. The extrapolated storage time at 77 K is approximately 700 years. From a functional point of view, these electrically alterable read-only memory (EAROM) structures are promising also for dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) or static random-access memory (SRAM) applications depending on the operating temperatures.<>
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; gallium arsenide; read-only storage; semiconductor storage; 2 to 14400 s; 300 to 140 K; 77 K; EAROM; WRITE voltages; control gate; dynamic random-access memory; electrically alterable read-only memory; extrapolated storage time; floating-gate memory devices; graded-gap barrier; graded-gap electron injector; long retention times; memory devices; operating temperatures; static random-access memory; Current measurement; DRAM chips; Electrons; Etching; Gallium arsenide; Nonvolatile memory; Random access memory; SRAM chips; Temperature dependence; Voltage;
Journal_Title :
Electron Device Letters, IEEE
