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Charge storage behavior of nanostructures based on SiGe nanocrystals embedded in Al2O3 matrix

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Abstract

The charge storage behavior of nanostructures based on Si1−x Ge x (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) nanocrystals (NCs) in an Al2O3 matrix was investigated. The structures have been grown by RF magnetron sputtering and subsequently annealed at temperatures ranging from 700 °C to 1000 °C for 30 min in nitrogen ambient. The stoichiometry of the SiGe NCs and the alumina crystalline structure were found to be significantly dependent on the RF power and the annealing temperature. The sizes of the SiGe NCs and their distribution were investigated by grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS). The capacitance-voltage (C-V) and conductance-voltage (G-V) measurements were performed to investigate the charge trapping characteristics of the memory structures. The C-V hysteresis width depends on variations in the crystalline structure resulting from different annealing temperatures. It is also shown that charge injection is governed by the Fowler-Nordheim tunnel mechanism for higher electric fields.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Physics, University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal

    Eliana M. F. Vieira, Sergey Levichev, Adil Chahboun, Anabela G. Rolo & Maria J. M. Gomes

  2. Departamento de Ciências dos Materiais/CENIMAT I3N, FCT, Universidade Nova Lisboa, Campus da Caparica, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal

    Carlos J. Dias & Rui Igreja

  3. Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Bijenicka cesta 54, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Maja Buljan

  4. Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, 34149, Basovizza, Italy

    Sigrid Bernstorff

  5. Physics Department, University of Lisbon and ICEMS, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal

    Olinda Conde

  6. Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Physics Department, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, BP 416, Tangier, Morocco

    Adil Chahboun

Authors
  1. Eliana M. F. Vieira
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  2. Sergey Levichev
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  3. Carlos J. Dias
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  4. Rui Igreja
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  5. Maja Buljan
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  6. Sigrid Bernstorff
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  7. Olinda Conde
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  8. Adil Chahboun
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  9. Anabela G. Rolo
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  10. Maria J. M. Gomes
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Correspondence to Sergey Levichev.

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Vieira, E.M.F., Levichev, S., Dias, C.J. et al. Charge storage behavior of nanostructures based on SiGe nanocrystals embedded in Al2O3 matrix. Eur. Phys. J. B 86, 336 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2013-40124-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2013-40124-2

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