High performance nonvolatile memory using SiO₂/SiO_<i>x</i>/SiO_<i>x</i>N_<i>y</i> stack on excimer laser-annealed polysilicon and the effect of blocking thickness on operation voltage

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

<P>Silicon-rich SiO<SUB><I>x</I></SUB> material is a good charge storage candidate for memory applications that promise a large memory window and low operation voltage. Nonvolatile memory (NVM) devices fabricated on excimer laser-annealed polysilicon using SiO<SUB>2</SUB>/SiO<SUB><I>x</I></SUB>/SiO<SUB><I>x</I></SUB>N<SUB><I>y</I></SUB> (OOxOn) structure are investigated with SiO<SUB>2</SUB> blocking thicknesses changing from 15 to 20 to 30 nm. The Si-rich SiO<SUB><I>x</I></SUB> material exposed numerous non-bridging oxygen hole-centre defect sources and a rich silicon phase in the base material. These defects, as well as amorphous silicon clusters existing in the SiO<SUB><I>x</I></SUB> layer, enhance the charge storage capacity of the device. Retention properties were ensured by 3.2 nm SiO<SUB><I>x</I></SUB>N<SUB><I>y</I></SUB> tunnelling layer growth via N<SUB>2</SUB>O plasma-assisted oxynitridation. NVM characteristics showed a retention exceeding 85% of the threshold voltage shift after 10<SUP>4</SUP> s and greater than 70% after 10 years. Depending on the blocking thickness of 15, 20 or 30 nm, operating voltages varied from ±9 to ±13 V at a programming/erasing duration of only 1 ms. These excellent operating properties of the OOxOn structure make it a potential competitor among the new generation of memory structures on glass.</P>