The use of metal nanocrystals as charge storage nodes in nonvolatile memory capacitors have been extensively investigated in the last few years. The advantage of metallic nanocrystals results from their large work function compared to silicon, resulting in a low probability for charge loss and better retention time[1-6].
The correlation of Pt nanocrystal size and distribution to electrical properties is fundamental for improving memory device performance. A better understanding of the kinetics and thermodynamics of Ptsolid-statedewetting on SiO2is important for both device applications and fundamental scientific issues.
The current research characterizes the dewetting behavior of Pt thin films on SiO2in order to determine the best dewetting parameters for memory device applications. The Pt film thickness, dewetting time and temperature were varied and the film morphology was examined using high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), augmented by chemical analysis using electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). Electrical measurements were performed by capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements using standard techniques.
References
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