Charge storage characteristics in metal-oxide-semiconductor memory structure based on gradual Ge1-xSix/Si heteronanocrystals

Charge storage characteristics in the metal-oxide-semiconductor memory structure based on gradual Ge(1-x)Si(x)/Si heteronanocrystals (HNCs) have been investigated by using capacitance-voltage measurements. The gradual Ge(1-x)Si(x)/Si HNCs on ultrathin SiO(2) were fabricated through combining self-assembled growth and selective chemical etching technique. The observations demonstrate that the holes reach a longer retention time even with an ultrathin tunnel oxide, owing to the high band offset at the valence band between Ge and Si. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.