High temperature embedded charge devices and methods thereof

• US 8,581,308 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rochester Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Rochester Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Potter, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARORA, AJAY
• Application Number:
  US11/059,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20050205966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,190 Days
• Field of Search: 257/314, 257/315, 257/E21.336, 257/E29.309, 257/E21.21, 257/E21.679, 257/249, 438/257, 438/259, 438/261, 438/267, 438/594
• US Class Current: 257/249
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/513 the variation being perpendicular to the channel plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66833 with a charge trapping gate insulator, e.g. MNOS transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/792 with charge trapping gate insulator, e.g. MNOS-memory transistors

Abstract

A device for storing embedded charge includes a first insulator and at least one second insulator. The first insulator has at least two outer surfaces and has a band gap of less than about 5.5 eV. The second insulator is deposited on at least each of the at least two outer surfaces of the first insulator to form at least one interface for storing charge between the first and second insulators. The second insulator has a band gap of more than about 6.0 eV.

Claims

1. A device for storing embedded charge comprising:

a first insulator having at least two outer surfaces, the first insulator having a band gap of less than about 5.5 eV; and

at least one second insulator on at least each of the at least two outer surfaces of the first insulator to form at least one interface between the first and second insulators and has a band gap of more than about 6.0 eV; and

injected, fixed, static electronic charge in addition to inherent formation charge stored at the at least one interface, wherein the injected, fixed, static electronic charge at the at least one interface between the first and second insulators is negative, fixed static electronic charge and further consisting of no more than one continuous conductor structure on the second;

insulator.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first insulator is selected from a group consisting of Si₃N₄, TiO₂, SrTiO₃, ZrO₂, and BaTiO₃ and the second insulator is selected from a group consisting of SiO₂, CaF₂, MgF₂, LiF, and Al₂O₃.

3. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second insulator comprises at least two layers, each of the layers of the second insulator are on a different one of the outer surfaces of the first insulator.

4. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second insulator against one of one or more surfaces of the first insulator is the same as the second insulator against all other surfaces of the first insulator and substantially encases the first insulator.

5. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the band gap of the second insulator is at least double the band gap of the first insulator.

6. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein a permittivity of the second insulator is lower than a permittivity of the first insulator.

7. The device as set forth in claim 5 wherein the second insulator comprises a non-oxide insulating layer.

8. The device as set forth in claim 7 wherein the non-oxide insulating layer is selected from a group consisting of CaF₂ MgF₂, and LiF.

9. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the injected, fixed, static, electronic charge further comprises at least one of high field injected and ballistic injected, fixed, static, electronic charge on the order of at least 1×

10¹⁰ charges/cm² stored at the at least one interface.