Optimization of threshold voltage window under tunneling program/erase in nanocrystal memories |
| |
Authors: | Compagnoni CM Ielmini D Spinelli AS Lacaita AL |
| |
Affiliation: | Dipt. di Elettronica e Informazione, Politecnico di Milano-IU.NET, Milan, Italy; |
| |
Abstract: | This paper analyzes solutions to improve the program/erase (P/E) window for nanocrystal (NC) memory cells, by means of the model presented in our previous work . The limited threshold voltage (V/sub T/) window typically observed in the Fowler-Nordheim (FN) programming regime for NC memories was shown to be a direct consequence of the lack of any conduction and /spl epsi/ mismatch between the tunnel and the interpoly-oxide at steady-state. This condition can be avoided when tunnel oxide conduction is due to direct tunneling, but to assure sufficiently short P/E times very thin oxides are required, sacrificing cell nonvolatility. The use of alternative materials for interpoly dielectric, gate and NC is investigated. Finally, barrier engineering is presented as a valid way to improve the available V/sub T/ window. |
| |
Keywords: | |
|
|