Impacts of silicon nanocrystal incorporation on the transfer characteristics of poly-silicon nanowire SONOS devices

Gate-all-around poly-silicon nanowire (GAA poly-Si NW) SONOS devices embedded with silicon nanocrystals (Si-NCs) were fabricated and characterized. As Si-NCs are incorporated, the transfer characteristics show a large clockwise I_d-V_g hysteresis and a small kink under reverse sweep. Si dangling bonds located at SiNC/nitride interfaces are suspected to be responsible for the observations.