No abstract

We theoretically investigate H- and O-incorporation effects on memory characteristics of N vacancies in the SiN layer of metal–oxide–nitride–oxide–semiconductor (MONOS) type memory. The present calculations show that N vacancy maintains high program/erase (P/E) cycle endurance characteristics, regardless of the existence of H and O atoms. It is also found that the incorporation of an H atom is energetically favorable for N vacancy, whereas the incorporation of such an atom is unfavorable for O-incorporated N vacancy. The present results indicate clearly that realistic process conditions, in which incorporation of H and O atoms is inevitable, do not affect memory characteristic of MONOS-type memory having N vacancies in the SiN layer, and, therefore, such a memory is desirable and feasible for future memories.