Nonvolatile floating gate memory containing AgInSbTe-SiO2 nanocomposite layer and capping the HfO2/SiO2 composite blocking oxide layer

An extremely large memory window shift of about 30.7 V and high charge storage density = 2.3 x 10(13) cm(-2) at +/- 23 V gate voltage sweep were achieved in the nonvolatile floating gate memory (NFGM) device containing the AgInSbTe (AIST)-SiO2 nanocomposite as the charge trap layer and HfO2/SiO2 as the blocking oxide layer. Due to the deep trap sites formed by high-density AIST nanocrystals (NCs) in the nanocomposite matrix and the high-barrier-height feature of the composite blocking oxide layer, a good retention property of the device with a charge loss of about 16.1% at +/- 15 V gate voltage stress for 10(4) s at the test temperature of 85 degrees C was observed. In addition to inhibiting the Hf diffusion into the programming layer, incorporation of the SiO2 layer prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition in the sample provided a good Coulomb blockade effect and allowed significant charge storage in AIST NCs. Analytical results demonstrated the feasibility of an AIST-SiO2 nanocomposite layer in memory device fabrication with a simplified processing method and post-annealing at a comparatively low temperature of 400 degrees C in comparison with previous NC-based NFGM studies.