Metal-oxide-high-k-oxide-silicon memory structure incorporating a Tb2O3 charge trapping layer

In this paper, we proposed a metal-oxide-high-k-oxide-silicon (MOHOS)-type memory structure fabricating a high-k Tb2O3 charge trapping layer for flash memory applications. The high-k Tb2O3 MOHOS-type memories annealed at 800 °C exhibited large threshold voltage shifting (memory window of ∼1.41 V operated at Vg=8 V at 0.1 s), excellent data retention (charge loss of ∼10% measured time up to 104 s and at 85 °C), and good endurance characteristics (program/erase cycles up to 105) because of the high probability and deep trap level for trapping the charge carrier due to the formation of the crystallized Tb2O3 with a high dielectric constant of 11.8.