Charge pumping measurements on stepped-gate metal-nitride-oxide-silicon memory transistors

Charge pumping measurements using a variable pulse base level and a constant voltage amplitude are shown to be best suited for the direct determination of surface state densities in the different regions of stepped gate metal-nitride-oxide-silicon memory transistors. The effect of hydrogen annealing on the reduction of the surface state densities in the different regions can be directly demonstrated by using this technique. Finally the technique is very helpful in the study of Write/Erase degradation in these memory devices.