Enhanced Programming and Erasing Speeds of Charge-Trapping Flash Memory Device With Ge Channel

Author

Zong-Hao Ye ; Kuei-Shu Chang-Liao ; Li-Jung Liu ; Jen-Wei Cheng ; Hsin-Kai Fang

Author_Institution

Dept. of Eng. & Syst. Sci., Nat. Tsing Hua Univ., Hsinchu, Taiwan

Volume

36

Issue

12

fYear

2015

Firstpage

1314

Lastpage

1317

Abstract

Charge-trapping (CT) flash memory devices with Ge channel are studied for the first time. The operation characteristics of Ge-channel devices with different interfacial layers (IL), including GeO₂, GeON, and AlON, are investigated. The programming/erasing speeds of devices with Ge channel can be significantly improved as compared with those with Si or SiGe channel. The retention properties of Ge-channel CT flash devices are much enhanced with a stacked tunneling layer formed by the low-temperature processes. However, the endurance characteristics of Ge-channel devices need improvement as compared with those of Si-channel devices. This may be resolved by a high-quality IL formed with an electron cyclotron resonance system and passivated with a H₂ treatment.

Keywords

cyclotron resonance; electron traps; flash memories; germanium compounds; hole traps; AlON; GeO₂; GeON; charge trapping flash memory; electron cyclotron resonance; endurance characteristics; erasing speed; interface layer; programming speed; Aluminum oxide; Flash memories; Germanium; High K dielectric materials; Nonvolatile memory; Tunneling; Charge-trapping flash device; Ge-channel; interfacial layer; stacked high-k;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Device Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0741-3106

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LED.2015.2495344

Filename

7307987