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Realization of Hybrid Silicon core/silicon Nitride Shell Nanodots by LPCVD for NVM Application

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Jean Philippe Colonna
Affiliation:
colonna74@yahoo.com, CEA-LETI MINATEC, DPTS, 17 av des Martyrs, 38054 GRENOBLE cedex 9, FRANCE, GRENOBLE, N/A, France
Gabriel Molas
Affiliation:
gabriel.molas@cea.fr, CEA-Léti MINATEC, 17, Avenue des Martyrs, grenoble, 38054, France
Marc W Gely
Affiliation:
marc.gely@cea.fr, CEA-Léti MINATEC, 17, Avenue des Martyrs, grenoble, 38054, France
Marc Bocquet
Affiliation:
marc.bocquet@cea.fr, CEA-Léti MINATEC, 17, Avenue des Martyrs, grenoble, 38054, France
Eric Jalaguier
Affiliation:
eric.jalaguier@cea.fr, CEA-Léti MINATEC, 17, Avenue des Martyrs, grenoble, 38054, France
Barbara De Slavo
Affiliation:
barbara.desalvo@cea.fr, CEA-Léti MINATEC, 17, Avenue des Martyrs, grenoble, 38054, France
Helen Grampeix
Affiliation:
helen.grampeix@cea.fr, CEA-Léti MINATEC, 17, Avenue des Martyrs, grenoble, 38054, France
Pierre Brianceau
Affiliation:
pierre.brianceau@cea.fr, CEA-Léti MINATEC, 17, Avenue des Martyrs, grenoble, 38054, France
Karim Yckache
Affiliation:
karim.yckache@cea.fr, CEA-Léti MINATEC, 17, Avenue des Martyrs, grenoble, 38054, France
Anne-Marie Papon
Affiliation:
anne.marie.papon@cea.fr, CEA-Léti MINATEC, 17, Avenue des Martyrs, grenoble, 38054, France
Geoffroy Auvert
Affiliation:
geoffroy.auvert@cea.fr, CEA-Léti MINATEC, 17, Avenue des Martyrs, grenoble, 38054, France
Corrado Bongiorno
Affiliation:
corrado.bongiorno@imm.cnr.it, IMM CNR, Stradale Primosole,50, Catania, 95121, Italy
Salvatore Lombardo
Affiliation:
salvatore.lombardo@imm.cnr.it, IMM CNR, Stradale Primosole,50, Catania, 95121, Italy
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Abstract

We present the realization of hybrid silicon core/silicon nitride shell nanodots by Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition (LPCVD) and their application as floating gate in Non Volatile Memory (NVM) devices. The LPCVD process includes three steps: nucleation using SiH4, selective growth of the silicon nuclei using SiH2Cl2 and finally selective growth of silicon nitride using a mixture of SiH2Cl2 and NH3 around the silicon dot. The two first steps have already been described in literature. We will therefore focus on the selective growth of a nitride layer on silicon dots. Morphological characterization using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) allows control over dots size – 5 to 10nm – and density – up to 1E12/cm2. High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) shows a crystalline silicon core and an outer shell of amorphous silicon nitride. Energy Filtered TEM pictures confirm that the nitride layer is deposited only around the silicon dots and not on the oxide. Oxidation resistance of the silicon nitride shell is also investigated. A 2nm thick silicon nitride layer is an efficient barrier to an oxidation at 800°C in dry oxygen for 5 minutes. We thus have a very thin high quality stoechiometric nitride layer. Such a high quality nitride film can only be achieved using in-situ deposition i.e. on an oxide-free silicon surface. Finally, hybrid Si/SiN nanodots are integrated in a single memory cell with high-K interpoly dielectric. Electrical results show large threshold voltage shift of 6V. The use of silicon nitride shells on the silicon dots has therefore two main advantages: it provides both oxidation resistance and charge storage enhancement.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2008

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References

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