Title :
A Novel Trapping-Nitride-Storage Non-Volatile Memory Cell Using a Gated-Diode Structure With an Ultra-Thin Dielectric Dopant Diffusion Barrier
Author :
Tsai, Wen-Jer ; Ou, Tien-Fan ; Kao, Hsuan-ling ; Lai, Erh-Kun ; Huang, Jyun-Siang ; Chong, Lit-Ho ; Liao, Yi-Ying ; Hong, Shih-Ping ; Wu, Ming-Tsung ; Tsai, Shih-Chang ; Leng, Chia-Hao ; Hsu, Fang-Hao ; Wang, Szu-Yu ; Cheng, Chun-Ming ; Luoh, Tuung ; Hung
Author_Institution :
Macronix Int. Co. Ltd., Hsinchu
Abstract :
A novel trapping-nitride-storage nonvolatile memory cell by using a gated-diode structure is proposed. An ultrathin nitride layer is introduced between the n-type and p-type regions of the diode. This layer acts as a dopant diffusion barrier that well defines the junction location. Meanwhile, it is thin enough that charge carriers can flow through it via direct tunneling at low field as being sensed. Good program/erase characteristics and acceptable reliability are presented. Finally, using a low-bandgap material to enhance the sensing current is suggested along with the preferred device structure.
Keywords :
dielectric thin films; diffusion barriers; elemental semiconductors; random-access storage; semiconductor diodes; silicon; tunnelling; Si; gated-diode structure; low field direct tunneling; preferred device structure; trapping-nitride-storage nonvolatile memory cell; ultrathin dielectric dopant diffusion barrier; Charge carrier processes; Charge carriers; Dielectrics; Diodes; Heterojunctions; Nonvolatile memory; Photonic band gap; Reliability engineering; Scalability; Tunneling; Band-edge offset; band-to-band tunneling (BTBT); bandgap engineering; direct tunneling (DT); dopant diffusion barrier; gated diode; heterojunction; nonvolatile memory (NVM); trapped-charge storage;
Journal_Title :
Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TED.2008.926576
