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Enhanced memory performance by tailoring the microstructural evolution of (ZrO2)0.6(SiO2)0.4 charge trapping layer in the nanocrystallites-based charge trap flash memory cells

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Abstract

ZrO2 nanocrystallites based charge trap memory cells by incorporating a (ZrO2)0.6(SiO2)0.4 film as a charge trapping layer and amorphous Al2O3 as tunneling and blocking layer were prepared and investigated. The precipitation reaction in charge trapping layer forming ZrO2 nanocrystallites during rapid thermal annealing was investigated by transmission electron microscopy. The density and size of ZrO2 nanocrystallites are the critical factors for controlling the charge storage characteristics. The ZrO2 nanocrystallites based memory cells after postannealing at 800 ∘C for 60 s exhibit the best electrical characteristics and a low charge loss ∼5 % after 105 write/erase cycles operation.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (50972054), the State Key Program for Basic Research of China (Grant No. 2010CB934201), and The State Key Program for Science and Technology of China (Grant No. 2009ZX02039-004).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering and National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P.R. China

    Zhenjie Tang, Hanni Xu, Yidong Xia, Jiang Yin, Aidong Li & Zhiguo Liu

  2. Department of Physics and National and Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P.R. China

    Xinhua Zhu

  3. School of Electronics Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P.R. China

    Feng Yan

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  1. Zhenjie Tang
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  2. Xinhua Zhu
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  5. Jiang Yin
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  6. Aidong Li
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  7. Feng Yan
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  8. Zhiguo Liu
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Correspondence to Zhiguo Liu.

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Tang, Z., Zhu, X., Xu, H. et al. Enhanced memory performance by tailoring the microstructural evolution of (ZrO2)0.6(SiO2)0.4 charge trapping layer in the nanocrystallites-based charge trap flash memory cells. Appl. Phys. A 108, 217–222 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-012-6877-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-012-6877-7

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