Hybrid numerical analysis of a high-speed non-volatile suspended gate silicon nanodot memory (SGSNM)

Abstract

We present a hybrid numerical analysis of a high-speed and non-volatile suspended gate silicon nanodot memory (SGSNM) which co-integrates a nano-electromechanical (NEM) control gate with a MOSFET as a readout element and silicon nanodots as a floating gate. A hybrid NEM-MOS circuit simulation is developed by taking account of the pull-in/pull-out operation of the suspended gate and electron tunnelling processes through the tunnel oxide layer as behavioural models. The signals for programming, erasing and reading are successfully achieved at circuit level simulation. The programming and erasing times are found as short as 2.5 nsec for a SGSNM with a 1-µm-long suspended gate, which is a summation of the mechanical pull-in/pullout times and the tunnel charging/discharging times.

MOS Meets NEMS: The Born of Hybrid Devices

“…The suspended gate deflection process is performed by increasing the voltage linearly until a point known as the pull-in voltage due to electrostatic force is reached. Beyond this point, the beam will collapse on the substrate due to electrostatic instability produced for the overcome of the material stiffness by the electrostatic force [23]. For a double-clamped beam, the pull-in voltage is defined as…”