Nonvolatile Memory Based on Si Implanted Gate Oxides

The concept of a nanocrystal memory [1,2] has several attractive features. First, it overcomes limitations of current (Flash)-EEPROM technologies: higher endurance and lower voltages become possible enabling further scaling and memories of higher density. Second, the retention characteristics can be possibly tailored from DRAM-like to EEPROM-like memories by adjusting the cluster size and their distance to the Si/SiO2 interface. Third, the simple transistor structure and the full CMOS compatible process integration ability makes the nanocrystal memory to be an ideal candidate for an embedded memory designed for system-on-chip applications.