Charging effect on electrical characteristics of MOS structures with Si nanocrystal distribution in gate oxide

• Main Authors: Li, S., Zhao, P., Liu, Yang, Chen, Tupei, Ng, Chi Yung, Tse, Man Siu, Fung, Stevenson Hon Yuen, Liu, Yu Chan
• 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/10356/92081; http://hdl.handle.net/10220/6408
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

We report a study of influence of charging and discharging in Si nanocrystals (nc-Si), which are embedded throughout the gate oxide in metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structures, on the current voltage and capacitance-voltage characteristics of the MOS structures. Very large current and capacitance are observed for the as-fabricated structures. However, charge trapping in the nanocrystals can reduce both the current and the capacitance dramatically. The trapped charges can also tunnel out from the nc-Si, leading to the recovery of both the current and the capacitance. The current reduction is attributed to the breaking of the nc-Si the change of the nc-Si capacitance as a result of the charge trapping.