High performance floating gate memories using graphene as charge storage medium and atomic layer deposited high-k dielectric layers as tunnel barrier

Ankara : Materials Science and Nanotechnology Program of the Graduate School of Engineering and Science of Bilkent Univerity, 2013. ; Thesis (Master's) -- Bilkent University, 2013. ; Includes bibliographical references leaves 87-98. ; With the ongoing development in portable electronic devices, low power consumption, improved data retention rate and higher operation speed are the merits demanded by modern non-volatile memory technology. Flash memory devices with discrete charge-trapping media are regarded as an alternative solution to conventional floating gate technology. Flash memories utilizing Sinitride as charge storage media dominate due to enhanced endurance, better scaling capability and simple fabrication. The use of high-k dielectrics as tunnel layer and control layer is also crucial in charge-trap flash memory devices since they allow further scaling and enhanced charge injection without data retention degradation. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a powerful technique for the growth of pinhole-free high-k dielectrics with precisely controlled thickness and high conformality. The application of graphene as charge trapping medium in flash memory devices is promising to obtain improved charge storage capability with miniaturization. Graphene acts as an effective charge storage medium due to high density of states in deep energy levels. In this thesis, we fabricate graphene flash memory devices with ALD-grown HfO2/AlN as tunnel layer and Al2O3 as control layer. Graphene oxide nanosheets are derived from the acid exfoliation of natural graphite by Hummers Method. The graphene layer is obtained by spin-coating of water soluble graphene oxide suspension followed by a thermal annealing process. Memory performance including hysteresis window, data retention rate and program transient characteristics for both electron and hole storage mechanisms are determined by performing high frequency capacitance-voltage measurements. For comparing the memory effect of graphene on device performance, we also fabricate and ...