中国物理B ›› 2008, Vol. 17 ›› Issue (3): 1070-1077.doi: 10.1088/1674-1056/17/3/053

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Formation of high density TiN nanocrystals and its application in non-volatile memories

冯顺山1, 陈国光2, 李学林3   

  1. (1)Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; (2)North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China; (3)North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China;Shandong Machinery (Group) Co. Ltd, Zibo 255201, China
  • 收稿日期:2007-05-08 修回日期:2007-09-13 出版日期:2008-03-04 发布日期:2008-03-04

Formation of high density TiN nanocrystals and its application in non-volatile memories

Li Xue-Lin(李学林)a)c)†,Feng Shun-Shan(冯顺山)b), and Chen Guo-Guang(陈国光)a)   

  1. a North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China; b Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; c Shandong Machinery (Group) Co. Ltd, Zibo 255201, China
  • Received:2007-05-08 Revised:2007-09-13 Online:2008-03-04 Published:2008-03-04

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摘要： Non-volatile memory based on TiN nanocrystal (TiN--NC) charge storage nodes embedded in SiO$_{2}$ has been fabricated and its electrical properties have been measured. It was found that the density and size distribution of TiN--NCs can be controlled by annealing temperature. The formation of well separated crystalline TiN nano-dots with an average size of 5\,nm is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms the existence of a transition layer of TiN$_{x}$O$_{y}$/SiON oxide between TiN--NC and SiO$_{2}$, which reduces the barrier height of tunnel oxide and thereby enhances programming/erasing speed. The memory device shows a memory window of 2.5\,V and an endurance cycle throughout 10$^{5}$. Its charging mechanism, which is interpreted from the analysis of programming speed (d$V_{\rm th}$/d$t$) and the gate leakage versus voltage characteristics ($I_{\rm g}$ vs $V_{\rm g})$, has been explained by direct tunnelling for tunnel oxide and Fowler--Nordheim tunnelling for control oxide at programming voltages lower than 9V, and by Fowler--Nordheim tunnelling for both the oxides at programming voltages higher than 9\,V.

关键词: TiN nanocrystal, size, density, non-volatile memory application

Abstract: Non-volatile memory based on TiN nanocrystal (TiN--NC) charge storage nodes embedded in SiO$_{2}$ has been fabricated and its electrical properties have been measured. It was found that the density and size distribution of TiN--NCs can be controlled by annealing temperature. The formation of well separated crystalline TiN nano-dots with an average size of 5 nm is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms the existence of a transition layer of TiN$_{x}$O$_{y}$/SiON oxide between TiN--NC and SiO$_{2}$, which reduces the barrier height of tunnel oxide and thereby enhances programming/erasing speed. The memory device shows a memory window of 2.5 V and an endurance cycle throughout 10$^{5}$. Its charging mechanism, which is interpreted from the analysis of programming speed (d$V_{\rm th}$/d$t$) and the gate leakage versus voltage characteristics ($I_{\rm g}$ vs $V_{\rm g})$, has been explained by direct tunnelling for tunnel oxide and Fowler--Nordheim tunnelling for control oxide at programming voltages lower than 9V, and by Fowler--Nordheim tunnelling for both the oxides at programming voltages higher than 9 V.

Key words: TiN nanocrystal, size, density, non-volatile memory application

中图分类号:  (Field effect devices)

  • 85.30.Tv
79.60.Jv (Interfaces; heterostructures; nanostructures) 85.30.De (Semiconductor-device characterization, design, and modeling) 85.35.-p (Nanoelectronic devices)