Nonvolatile-Memory Characteristics of $\hbox{AlO}^{-}$ -Implanted $\hbox{Al}_{2}\hbox{O}_{3}$

The nonvolatile-memory (NVM) characteristics of AlO
^-
-implanted Al
₂
O
₃
structures are reported and shown to exhibit promising behaviors, including fast program/erase speeds and high-temperature data retention. Photoconductivity spectra show the existence of two dominant trap levels, located at around 2 and 4 eV below the conduction band minimum of Al
₂
O
₃
, and our calculations show that these levels are likely attributed to the defects in the Al
₂
O
₃
, such as the Al-O divacancy. The relative concentrations of these defects vary with the implant fluence and are shown to explain the NVM characteristics of the samples irradiated to different fluences.