Data retention characterization of gate-injected gold-nanoparticle non-volatile memory with low-damage CF₄-plasma-treated blocking oxide layer

Gold-nanoparticle (Au-NP) non-volatile memories (NVMs) with low-damage CF₄ plasma treatment on the blocking oxide (BO) layer have been investigated to present the gate injection of the holes. These holes, injected from the Al gate with the positive gate bias, were explained by the bandgap engineering of the gradually-fluorinated BO layer and the effective work function modulation of the Al gate. The Si–F complex in the BO layer was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), while the depth of fluorine incorporation was verified using a secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS). In addition, the valence band modification of the fluorinated BO layer was examined by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) to support the bandgap engineering. The reactive power of the CF4 plasma treatment on the BO layer was modified to increase the electric field of the BO layer and raise the effective work function of the Al gate, leading to the hole-injection from the gate. The injected holes are trapped at the interface between the gold-nanoparticles (Au-NPs) and the tunneling oxide (TO) layer, resulting in superior data retention properties such as an extremely low charge loss of 5.7% at 10⁴ s and a nearly negligible increase in charge loss at 85 °C of the CF₄-plasma-treated Au-NP NVMs, which can be applied in highly reliable consumer electronics.