Electron trapping, storing, and emission in nanocrystalline Si dots by capacitance-voltage and conductance-voltage measurements

Temperature and frequency dependent electrical properties of SiO2/nanocrystalline Si (nc-Si)/SiO2 sandwich structures have been studied. A clear shift of the capacitance-voltage and conductance-voltage characteristics toward positive gate voltage suggests electron trapping in an nc-Si dot. The role of interface states and deep traps in our devices has also been thoroughly examined and shown to be unimportant on the overall device performance. The discharging process is found to be logarithmic with time and weakly temperature dependent. The long memory retention time and the logarithmic time dependence of charge loss in the dots are explained by a buildup of opposing electric field in the tunnel oxide, which hinders the discharge of electrons remaining in the dots. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.