Charging effect of Al2O3 thin films containing Al nanocrystals

• Main Authors: Chen, X. B., Liu, Yang, Chen, Tupei, Zhu, Wei, Yang, Ming, Cen, Zhan Hong, Wong, Jen It, Li, Yibin, Zhang, Sam, Fung, Stevenson Hon Yuen
• Other Authors: School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering::Nanoelectronics
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/91153; http://hdl.handle.net/10220/6351
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

In this work, Al2O3 thin film containing Al nanocrystals (nc-Al) is deposited on Si substrate by radio frequency sputtering to form a metal-insulator-semiconductor structure. Both electron and hole trapping in nc-Al are observed. The charge storage ability of the nc-Al/Al2O3 thin films provides the possibility of memory applications. Charging in the nc-Al also leads to a change in the dc resistance of the thin films, namely, the electron trapping in the nc-Al leads to an increase in the resistance, whereas the resistance is reduced if there is hole trapping in the nc-Al.