Effects of annealing on CeO2-based flash memories

In this study, CeO2 was used as a trapping layer in metal oxide high-K-oxide-Si (MOHOS)-type memory devices. This trapping layer underwent annealing to enhance memory performance. Multiple material analyses indicate that annealing enables enhanced crystallization and suppresses silicate formation. MOHOS-type flash memory devices incorporating a CeO2 charge trapping layer annealed at 950 °C exhibited a large memory window of 4.7 V, as well as a fast program and erase speed. Our research indicates that MOHOS-type memory devices utilizing CeO2 show great promise for future industrial flash memory applications.