Dependence of Electrical Characteristics on the Depth of the Recess Region in the Scaled Tantalum Nitride-Aluminum Oxide-Silicon Nitride-Silicon Oxide-Silicon Flash Memory Devices

Abstract

Nanoscale tantalum nitride-aluminum oxide-silicon nitride-silicon oxide-silicon (TANOS) memory devices utilizing a recess region were investigated to improve device performance and reduce cell-to-cell interference. The dependence of electrical properties on the depth of the recess region in the TANOS flash memory devices was simulated by using Synopsys TCAD Sentaurus. The cell-to-cell interference characteristics of the TANOS flash memory devices dependent on the recess region were investigated. The drain current at an on-state in the TANOS flash memory devices increased with increasing depth of the recess region owing to the existence of the fringe field generated from the recess region. The coupling ratio of the TANOS flash memory increased with increasing depth of the recess region. The simulation results showed that the cell-to-cell interference in the TANOS flash memory devices decreased with increasing depth of the recess region. (C) 2011 The Japan Society of Applied Physics