Pt-induced high density PtSi nanocrystals and their application in nonvolatile memory

Nonvolatile memories with semiconductor or metal nanocrystals as storage elements in metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFET) have been researched intensively by researchers in both industry and academic institutions. Compared with semiconductor nanocrystals, metal nanocrystal devices should have better performance due to the higher storage capacity as a result of higher density of states. However the drawback of the poor thermal stability makes the application of metal nanocrystal memory difficult. Metallic silicide nanocrystals are more thermally stable than metal nanocrystals. TiSi2 [1], CoSi2 [2–3], and NiSi [4] nanocrystals have been synthesized by other methods, which have a common process, i.e., high-temperature annealing. In this presentation, we report novel fabrication process of the formation of high density silicide nanocrystals and their prototype device.