Nickel nanocrystal formation on HfO2 dielectric for nonvolatile memory device applications -: art. no. 103505

This letter presents the formation of nickel nanocrystal on HfO2 high-k dielectric and its application to the nonvolatile memory devices. The effects of the initial nickel layer thickness and annealing temperature on nickel nanocrystal formation are investigated. The n-metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor with nickel nanocrystals and HfO2 tunneling dielectrics is fabricated and its programming, data retention, and endurance properties are characterized to demonstrate. its advantages for nonvolatile memory device applications. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.