Metal-oxide-high-k-oxide-silicon memory structure incorporating a Tb2O3 charge trapping layer

In this paper, we proposed a metal-oxide-high-k-oxide-silicon (MOHOS)-type memory structure fabricating a high-k Tb2O3 charge trapping layer for flash memory applications. The high-k Tb2O3 MOHOS-type memories annealed at 800 degrees C exhibited large threshold voltage shifting (memory window of similar to 1.41 V operated at V-g=8 V at 0.1 s), excellent data retention (charge loss of similar to 10% measured time up to 10(4) s and at 85 degrees C), and good endurance characteristics (program/erase cycles up to 10(5)) because of the high probability and deep trap level for trapping the charge carrier due to the formation of the crystallized Tb2O3 with a high dielectric constant of 11.8. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3462321]