As state of the art flash memory technologies scale down to sub 30 nm node, conventional floating gate flash memory approaches its physical scaling limit mainly because of the high gate coupling ratio (GCR) requirement to secure proper memory window. Here, we report a novel flash memory device called Cr metal thin film memory (MTFM) that can circumvent the GCR issue and extend flash memory scalability by employing Cr thin film as a storage layer. Cr metal thin film memory devices with simple and low temperature processes produced a wide memory window of 10 V at the ±18 V voltage sweep with GCR of only 0.3. Such a large window can be adopted for multi-level cell operations, which can further increase the memory density. Also, retention measurement shows more than 10 years retention time due to higher energy barrier between Cr metal and tunnel oxide than conventional poly silicon and tunnel oxide. Cross section transmission electron microscope (TEM) images showed the structure and accurate dimensions of the Cr MTFM device with continuous Cr film and sharp interfaces. As for material characterizations, an amorphous like Cr phase was observed through TEM and x-ray diffraction (XRD). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the Cr-Cr bond and Cr-O bond near the Cr surface after evaporation and rapid thermal annealing. This metal thin film memory may open a new route to achieve the terabit level flash memory.
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1 September 2011
Research Article|
September 06 2011
Cr metal thin film memory
Augustin J. Hong;
Augustin J. Hong
a)
1
IBM T. J. Watson Research Center
, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598, USA
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Jiyoung Kim;
Jiyoung Kim
2
Device Solution Business, Samsung Electronics, Co., Ltd.
, Kyunggi Do 449-711, South Korea
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Kyoungwhan Kim;
Kyoungwhan Kim
3
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
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Yong Wang;
Yong Wang
4Materials Engineering and Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis,
The University of Queensland
, Brisbane, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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Faxian Xiu;
Faxian Xiu
5Department of Electrical Engineering,
University of California
, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
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Jaeseok Jeon;
Jaeseok Jeon
6Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science,
University of California
, Berkeley, California 53706, USA
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Jemin Park;
Jemin Park
6Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science,
University of California
, Berkeley, California 53706, USA
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Iris Rauda;
Iris Rauda
7Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry,
University of California
, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
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Li-Min Chen;
Li-Min Chen
8Department of Materials Science and Engineering,
University of California
, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
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Yang Yang;
Yang Yang
8Department of Materials Science and Engineering,
University of California
, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
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Sarah Tolbert;
Sarah Tolbert
7Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry,
University of California
, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
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Jin Zou;
Jin Zou
4Materials Engineering and Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis,
The University of Queensland
, Brisbane, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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Kang L. Wang
Kang L. Wang
5Department of Electrical Engineering,
University of California
, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
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a)
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Electronic mail: ajhong@us.ibm.com.
J. Appl. Phys. 110, 054504 (2011)
Article history
Received:
April 10 2011
Accepted:
July 07 2011
Citation
Augustin J. Hong, Jiyoung Kim, Kyoungwhan Kim, Yong Wang, Faxian Xiu, Jaeseok Jeon, Jemin Park, Iris Rauda, Li-Min Chen, Yang Yang, Sarah Tolbert, Jin Zou, Kang L. Wang; Cr metal thin film memory. J. Appl. Phys. 1 September 2011; 110 (5): 054504. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3626901
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