Characterization of TiOxNy nanoparticles embedded in HfOxNy as charge trapping nodes for nonvolatile memory device applications

Silicon-oxide–nitride-oxide–silicon devices with nanoparticles (NPs) as charge trapping nodes (CTNs) are important to provide enhanced performance for nonvolatile memory devices. To study these topics, the TiOxNy metal oxide NPs embedded in the HfOxNy high-k dielectric as CTNs of the nonvolatile memory devices were investigated via the thermal synthesis using Ti thin-film oxidized in the mixed O2/N2 ambient. Well-isolated TiOxNy NPs with a diameter of 5–20 nm, a surface density of ∼3 × 1011 cm−2, and a charge trap density of around 2.33 × 1012 cm−2 were demonstrated. The writing characteristic measurements illustrate that the memory effect is mainly due to the hole trapping.