High-Performance Non-Volatile InGaZnO Based Flash Memory Device Embedded with a Monolayer Au Nanoparticles

• Main Authors: Muhammad Naqi, Nayoung Kwon, Sung Hyeon Jung, Pavan Pujar, Hae Won Cho, Yong In Cho, Hyung Koun Cho, Byungkwon Lim, Sunkook Kim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
• Series: Nanomaterials
• Subjects: non-volatile memory device; flash memory device; three-terminal memory device; IGZO; monolayer Au nanoparticles
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/5/1101

Non-volatile memory (NVM) devices based on three-terminal thin-film transistors (TFTs) have gained extensive interest in memory applications due to their high retained characteristics, good scalability, and high charge storage capacity. Herein, we report a low-temperature (<100 °C) processed top-gate TFT-type NVM device using indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) semiconductor with monolayer gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as a floating gate layer to obtain reliable memory operations. The proposed NVM device exhibits a high memory window (ΔV_th) of 13.7 V when it sweeps from −20 V to +20 V back and forth. Additionally, the material characteristics of the monolayer AuNPs (floating gate layer) and IGZO film (semiconductor layer) are confirmed using transmission electronic microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. The memory operations in terms of endurance and retention are obtained, revealing highly stable endurance properties of the device up to 100 P/E cycles by applying pulses (±20 V, duration of 100 ms) and reliable retention time up to 10⁴ s. The proposed NVM device, owing to the properties of large memory window, stable endurance, and high retention time, enables an excellent approach in futuristic non-volatile memory technology.