Metal nano-floating gate memory devices fabricated at low temperature

In this communication, we report on the realization of low-temperature processed Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM) like device with embedded gold nanoparticles. The realization is based on the fabrication of a V-groove SiGe Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET), the functionalization of a gate oxide followed by self-assembly of gold nanoparticles and finally, the deposition of an organic insulator by Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique. Such structures were processed at a temperature lower than 400 degrees C. The electrical characteristics of the final hybrid Metal Insulator Semiconductor FET (MISFET) memory cells were evaluated in terms of memory window and program/erase voltage pulses. A model describing the memory characteristics, based on the electronic properties of the gate stack materials, is presented. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.