Project Information per year
2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009 - 2008 - 2007 - 2006 - 2005 - 2004

MATERIALS AND DEVICES FOR MEMORY APPLICATIONS

This new title of project II.2 (instead of nanocrystal memories) is more representative of our last 2 year-activities

Project leader: Dr P.Normand
Key researchers: Dr P. Normand, Dr V. Ioannou-Sougleridis
Collaborating researchers: Dr. P. Argitis, Dr. M. Chatzichristidi, Dr. J. Raptis
Post-doctoral: Dr V. Vamvakas
PhD candidate: P. Dimitrakis

Objectives

- To develop novel high-throughput synthesis routes and techniques for creating nanostructured materials in dielectrics, such as Si nanocrystals in SiO2 films by low-energy ion-beam-synthesis.
- To investigate the structural and electrical properties of the generated nanostructured materials and demonstrate material characteristics enabling the development of low-voltage high-density memory devices.
- To realize and evaluate nanostructure-based-memory devices and assess the manufacturability of the developed nanofabrication routes in an industrial environment.

Funding

- NEON, Nanocrystals for Electronic Applications, EU GROWTH GRD1, No 25619
- Bilateral French-Greek Project, Si-Nanocrystal Synthesis by Plasma-Immersion Ion-Implantation for Non-Volatile Memory Applications, ΕΠΑΝ. Μ.4.3.6.1E.

Activities

By associating the finite-size effects of nanocrystals and the benefits of a stored charge distribution, the nanocrystal memories (NCMs) have the potential to fulfill the stringent requirements of non-volatile memory cell downscaling. Our activities in this area started in 1996 through the development of the low-energy ion-beam-synthesis (LE-IBS) technique for producing nanocrystals in thin gate dielectrics. This activity was supported by the EU project, FASEM (1997-2000). LE-IBS development with target the realization of manufactory non-volatile NCMs has been conducted within the framework of the EU project, NEON (2001-2004), in collaboration with the US implanter manufacturer Axcelis.

In addition to our LE-IBS-NCM activities, major efforts have been devoted the last four years for developing novel NCMs alternatives including, (a) Memory devices by Si+ irradiation through poly-Si/SiO2 gate stack in collaboration with FZR and ZMD Dresden, (b) Memory devices using Ge nanocrystals produced by MBE and rapid-thermal processing in collaboration with Aarhus Univ., (c) hybrid silicon-organic and SiGe-organic memories in collaboration with Durham Univ.; this last activity was conducted within the framework of the EU IST-FET project, FRACTURE (2001-2003).

In 2006, our main activities were focused on the following four tasks:
1. Block-copolymer-assisted-nanostructure fabrication for memory applications
2. Ge nanocrystals in high-k dielectrics obtained by low-energy ion-beam-synthesis
3. Channel edge effects in shallow-trench-isolated nanocrystal memories
4. Oxide/nitride/oxide (ONO) dielectric stacks with Si nanocrystals embedded in nitride

During 2006, activities aiming at the development of a Si-NC synthesis route based on plasma-immersion ion-implantation (PIII) in collaboration with CEMES/CNRS and one French SME (Ion Beam Services) were initiated. Our group was also involved in research activities conducted at NTUA (Prof. D. Tsoukalas) regarding NCM radiation hardness.

Specific targets for 2007 include: (a) Fabrication of nanostructures by block-copolymer nanopatterning in collaboration with project I.1, (b) formation of ONO dielectric stacks by LE-IBS for producing SONOS devices at low-thermal budgets, (c) design and fabrication of organic memories in collaboration with project II.1, (d) development of the PIII technique for Si-NC fabrication.