Zinc-oxide charge trapping memory cell with ultra-thin chromium-oxide trapping layer
Nazek El-Atab,
Ayman Rizk,
Ali K. Okyay,
Ammar Nayfeh
Affiliations
Nazek El-Atab
Institute Center for Microsystems – iMicro, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Masdar Institute of Science and Technology Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Ayman Rizk
Institute Center for Microsystems – iMicro, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Masdar Institute of Science and Technology Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Ali K. Okyay
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey
Ammar Nayfeh
Institute Center for Microsystems – iMicro, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Masdar Institute of Science and Technology Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
A functional zinc-oxide based SONOS memory cell with ultra-thin chromium oxide trapping layer was fabricated. A 5 nm CrO2 layer is deposited between Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) steps. A threshold voltage (Vt) shift of 2.6V was achieved with a 10V programming voltage. Also for a 2V Vt shift, the memory with CrO2 layer has a low programming voltage of 7.2V. Moreover, the deep trapping levels in CrO2 layer allows for additional scaling of the tunnel oxide due to an increase in the retention time. In addition, the structure was simulated using Physics Based TCAD. The results of the simulation fit very well with the experimental results providing an understanding of the charge trapping and tunneling physics.
