Study of degradation mechanism of metal nanocrystal-based gate stacks

• Main Author: Chen, Yining
• Other Authors: Goh Kuan Eng, Johnson
• Format: Theses and Dissertations
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering::Nanoelectronics
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/49981
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This thesis focuses on the degradation and reliability mechanism of the metal nanocrystal-based Al2O3/SiO2 gate stacks which is believed to be a promising candidate for next generation nonvolatile memory. A series of novel approaches were used to obtain in-depth knowledge of the gate stack in terms of charge retention, gate dielectric breakdown and post-breakdown recovery. We also discuss the phenomenon of the post-breakdown recovery on the metal nanocrystal-based gate stack and the possibility of such charge-trapping gate stack as a candidate for a resistive switching memory cell.