Improved Operation Characteristics for Nonvolatile Charge-Trapping Memory Capacitors with High-κ Dielectrics and SiGe Epitaxial Substrates

A novel high-κ~ A1203/HfO2/AI203 nanolaminate charge trapping memory capacitor structure based on SiGe substrates with low interface densities is successfully fabricated and investigated. The memory capacitor exhibits excellent program-erasable characteristics. A large memory window of ~4 V, a small leakage current density of ~2 ×10-6 Acre-2 at a gate voltage of 7V, a high charge trapping density of 1.42 × 1013 cm-2 at a working vo]tage of 4-10 V and good retention characteristics are observed. Furthermore, the programming （△ VFB = 2.8 V at 10 V for 10μs） and erasing speeds （△VFB =-1.7 V at -10 V for 10μs） of the fabricated capacitor based on SiGe substrates are significantly improved as compared with counterparts reported earlier. It is concluded that the high-κ Al2O3/HfO2/Al2O3 nanolaminate charge trapping capacitor structure based on SiGe substrates is a promising candidate for future nano-scaled nonvolatile flash memory applications.

A non-volatile AND gate based on Al2O3/HfO2/Al2O3 charge-trap stack for in-situ storage applications

The emergence of two-dimensional(2 D) materials has inspired academia in microelectronics to find a novel device structure to offer a potential technological route for increasing energy efficiency and processing speed for data storage and computing at transistor level. Devices based on 2 D materials include logic gates and memories, each with their own unique features. However, integrating logic function and memory into a single device has barely been studied. Here, we report a non-volatile AND gate based on Al2O3/HfO2/Al2O3 charge-trap stack. The device can store charges after completing logic operation. The ratio of high and low current states during logic operations can exceed 105. The output current states during the logic and memory operations still have a two orders of magnitude distinction after 800 s, indicating that this device possesses the non-volatile characteristic. The device has potential applications for insitu memory applications, which makes it a possible candidate to break the ‘‘memory wall' at transistor level.

Charge storage coating based triboelectric nanogenerator and its applications in self-powered anticorrosion and antifouling

As a novel energy-harvesting device,a triboelectric nanogenerator(TENG)can harvest almost all mechanical energy and transform it into electrical energy,but its output is low.Although the micro-nano structures of triboelectrode surfaces can improve their output efficiency,they lead to high costs and are not suitable for large-scale applications.To address this problem,we developed a novel TENG coating with charge-storage properties.In this study,we modified an acrylic resin,a friction material,with nano-BaTiO_(3) particles and gas phase fluorination.The charge-trapping ability of nanoparticles was used to improve the output of TENG.The short-circuit current and the output voltage of coating-based TENGs featuring charge storage and electrification reached 15μA and 800 V,respectively,without decay for longtime working.On this basis,self-powered anticorrosion and antifouling systems are designed to reduce the open circuit potential of A3 steel by 510 mV and reduce the adhesion rate of algae on the surface of metal materials.This study presents a high-output,stable,coating-based TENG with potential in practical applications for anticorrosion and antifouling.

Dynamic observation of oxygen vacancies in hafnia layer by in situ transmission electron microscopy

The charge-trapping process, with HfO2 film as the charge-capturing layer, has been investigated by using in situ electron energy-loss spectroscopy and in situ energy-filter image under positive external bias. The results show that oxygen vacancies are non-uniformly distributed throughout the HfO2 trapping layer during the programming process. The distribution of the oxygen vacancies is not the same as that of the reported locations of the trapped electrons, implying that the trapping process is more complex. These bias-induced oxygen defects may affect the device performance characteristics such as the device lifetime. This phenomenon should be considered in the models of trapping processes.