Model to predict reliability of ONO non-volatile memory

Author

Kumar, Santosh ; Russell, Edmund L.

Author_Institution

Cypress Semicond.Corp., San Jose, CA, USA

fYear

2001

fDate

2001

Firstpage

34

Lastpage

40

Abstract

A model for data retention and endurance in ONO (oxide-Nitride-Oxide) based non-volatile memory has been presented in this paper. The model is based upon the assumption that storage of charge in the storage element (Nitride) is done using Fowler-Nordheim tunneling and direct tunneling of the carriers from the inverted region of the NMOS device. The discharge and erase operation of the charge stored in Nitride is assumed to be predominantly Frenkel-Poole emission associated with tunneling of the carriers to silicon substrate. Comparison has been made between the prediction and data obtained from SONOS (Silicon-Oxide-Nitride-Oxide-Semiconductor) and it has been found that there is a near perfect match between the model´s prediction and the experimental results. Further a modified Arrhenius equation for data retention has been created by modifying the (Arrhenius) equation to fit the experimental data. The modified equation has been successfully used for prediction of data retention lifetime

Keywords

MIS devices; Poole-Frenkel effect; semiconductor device models; semiconductor device reliability; semiconductor storage; tunnelling; Arrhenius equation; Fowler-Nordheim tunneling; Frenkel-Poole emission; NMOS device; ONO nonvolatile memory; SONOS cell; charge storage; data retention; direct tunneling; endurance; reliability model; Charge carrier processes; Electrons; Equations; Nonvolatile memory; Predictive models; SONOS devices; Silicon; Substrates; Temperature dependence; Tunneling;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Integrated Reliability Workshop Final Report, 2001. 2001 IEEE International

Conference_Location

Lake Tahoe, CA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-7167-4

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/.2001.993913

Filename

993913