Al/Al₂O₃/Sm₂O₃/SiO ₂/Si structure memory for nonvolatile memory application

In this paper, we propose an Al/Al₂O₃/Sm ₂O₃/SiO₂/Si structure memory using a high-k Sm₂O₃ film and Al₂O₃ film as a charge-trapping layer and blocking layer for nonvolatile memory application, respectively. The Al/Al₂O₃/Sm₂O ₃/SiO₂/Si structure memories annealed at 600 °C exhibited a large memory window of ∼4.7 V (measured at a sweep voltage range of 7 V), a low program/erase voltage of 7 V/-8 V (operated at 1 ms/10 ms), and a small charge loss of ∼8.4% (measured time up to 10⁴ s and at room temperature) because of the higher probability for trapping the charge carrier due to the formation of the Sm₂O₃ trapping layer with high dielectric constant and the large surface roughness. The Al/Al ₂O₃/Sm₂O₃/SiO₂/Si structure is a promising candidate for future advanced thin-film transistor memory devices.