Organic Molecular Layer for Nonvolatile Memory Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The scaling down of nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices is hindered by the formation of inferior oxide films on organic molecular layers due to the lack of hydroxyl groups, leading to increased leakage current and low breakdown voltage, which degrades data retention and reliability.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating charge trapping molecules with alkyl chains and seed molecules with hydroxy groups or other functional groups to form a high-quality block insulating layer, enhancing insulation properties and data retention through Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If organic molecules are used for charge trapping layer to enable scaling down, then memory cell size is reduced, but oxide film quality deteriorates due to lack of hydroxyl groups
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by introducing a surface treatment process before oxide film formation. Specifically, plasma treatment or chemical treatment is performed on the organic molecular layer surface to generate hydroxyl groups in advance, ensuring that subsequent ALD or sputtering processes can form high-quality oxide films with proper nucleation sites.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary substance or process to bridge the incompatibility between organic molecular layers and oxide film formation. Plasma treatment introduces reactive species that act as intermediaries, creating hydroxyl groups on the organic layer surface that serve as anchoring points for oxide film nucleation, thereby enabling high-quality film formation on hydrophobic surfaces.
2Manufacturing precision
If monolayer organic molecules are used for film uniformity, then film thickness is reduced and uniformity is improved, but hydroxyl group density decreases leading to poor oxide film formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the surface chemistry parameters of the organic molecular layer through plasma or chemical treatment. This treatment increases the surface hydroxyl group density without changing the monolayer structure, thereby maintaining film uniformity while improving oxide film formation quality.
3Ease of manufacture
If oxide film is formed on organic molecular layer by ALD, then insulating layer is created, but film quality is inferior due to large leakage current and low breakdown voltage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing surface treatment (plasma or chemical treatment) on the organic molecular layer before initiating the ALD process. This pre-treatment creates hydroxyl groups on the surface that serve as effective nucleation sites, enabling proper oxide film growth and significantly improving film quality, breakdown voltage, and reducing leakage current.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration improves the insulation properties between the charge trapping unit and the control gate electrode, leading to enhanced data retention and reliability, while allowing for further scaling down of memory cells.
Implementation Method 1
organic molecules that form the monolayer in a self-assembling manner are often selected
Implementation Method 2
it is attempted to form an oxide film on this organic molecular film by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD)
Data Source
AI summary
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment includes: a semiconductor layer; a block insulating layer; an organic molecular layer, which is formed between the semiconductor layer and the block insulating layer, and contains first organic molecules and second organic molecules, and in which the first organic molecule has a first alkyl chain or a first alkyl halide chain on the semiconductor layer side and a charge trapping unit on the block insulating layer side, and the second organic molecule has a second alkyl chain or a second alkyl halide chain on the semiconductor layer side and a hydroxy group, an ether group, a carboxyl group or an ester group on the block insulating layer side; and a control gate electrode formed on the block insulating layer.