Formation and Characterization of Hybrid Nanodots Floating Gate for Optoelectronic Application

Abstract

We have fabricated a hybrid nanodots floating gate (FG) in which Si quantum dots (QDs) and silicide nanodots (NDs) are stacked with a very thin SiO₂ interlayer in order to satisfy both multiple valued capability and charge storage capacity for a sufficient memory window and to open up novel functionality for optoelectronic application. In electron charging and discharging characteristics measured with application of pulsed gate biases to MOS capacitors with a hybrid NDs FG, stepwise changes in the rates for electron injection and emission were revealed with increasing pulse width at room temperature. Also, nMOSFETs with a hybrid NDs FG show unique hysteresis with stepwise changes in the drain current - gate voltage characteristics. The observed characteristics can be interpreted in terms that the electron injection and storage into silicide-NDs proceed through the discrete charged states of Si-QDs. For MOS capacitors with a triple-stacked hybrid NDs FG fabricated by adding another Si-QDs, by subgap light irradiation from the back side of the Si substrate, a distinct infrared optical response in C-V characteristics was detected at room temperature. The result is attributable to the shift of charge centroid in the hybrid NDs FG as a result of transfer of photoexcited electrons from silicide NDs to Si-QDs.