A Charge-Trap Memory Device with a Composition-Modulated Zr-Silicate High-k Dielectric Multilayer Structure

We report a novel charge-trap memory device with a composition-modulated Zr-silicate high-k dielectric multilayer structure prepared by using the pulsed laser deposition technique. The device employs amorphous (ZrO2)0.5(SiO2)0.5 as the tunneling and blocking oxide layers, and ZrO2 nanocrystals as the trapping storage layer. ZrO2 nanocrystals are precipitated from the phase separation of (ZrO2)0.8(SiO2)0.2 films annealed at 800\circC, and isolated from each other within the amorphous (ZrO2)0.5(SiO2)0.5 matrix. Our charge trapping device shows a memory window of 2.6 V and a stored electron density of 1×1013/cm2.