SONOS-type flash memory using an HfO/sub 2/ as a charge trapping layer deposited by the sol-gel spin-coating method

In this letter, the authors fabricate the silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS)-like memory using an HfO
₂
as charge trapping layer deposited by a very simple sol-gel spin-coating method and 900 degC 1-min rapid thermal annealing. They examine the quality of sol-gel HfO
₂
charge trapping layer by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, Id-Vg, charge retention, and endurance. The threshold voltage shift is 1.2 V for the sol-gel HfO
₂
trapping layer. The sol-gel HfO
₂
film can form a deep trap layer to trap electrons for the SONOS-like memory. Therefore, the sol-gel device exhibits the long charge retention time and good endurance performance. The charge retention time is 10
⁴
s with only 6% charge loss and long endurance program/erase cycles up to 10
⁵