High-performance Hetero-nanocrystal Memories

高性能异质纳米晶体存储器研究目标和方法：本研究的目的是寻求解决方案，使非易失性纳米晶体存储器能够进一步规模化。方法是将异质纳米晶实现为浮栅。通过建立考虑量子力学考虑的泊松方程的物理模型，从理论上模拟了异质纳米晶用于非易失性存储的概念；将制作并测试新型自对准硅化物/硅和金属/硅异质纳米晶存储器的原型；将证明异质纳米晶存储器在45 nm技术节点之外的可扩展性。智力优势：该项目将增加硅、金属和硅化物等具有重要技术意义的材料体系的核心知识。对异质纳米晶体的研究将丰富纳米结构的最新知识，并有助于发现自下而上纳米制造技术的更多原理：自组装。将异质纳米晶引入金属氧化物半导体场效应晶体管存储器也将丰富纳米电子器件，特别是非易失性存储器的知识。更广泛的影响：该项目涉及课程活动，将帮助华中大学电气工程系开发一个教育专业领域，重点是实验纳米技术部件。该项目将培训女性和代表性不足的研究生/本科生了解基础知识，并获得纳米结构和记忆的实践经验。K-12的学生/教师将通过正在进行的纳米技术暑期项目参与进来。这项工作的成功示范可以刺激存储行业生产更密集的集成存储阵列，用这些概念来取代目前商业化的存储阵列，以方便人们的日常生活。

High-performance Hetero-nanocrystal MemoriesResearch Objectives and Approaches:The objective of this research is to seek solutions to enable further scaling of nonvolatile nanocrystal memory. The approach is to implement hetero-nanocrystals as floating gate. The concept of using hetero-nanocrystals for nonvolatile memory applications will be theoretically simulated by establishing physical models of solving the Poisson equation with quantum mechanical considerations; prototype novel self-aligned silicide/silicon and metal/silicon hetero-nanocrystal memories will be fabricated and tested; scalability of hetero-nanocrystal memories beyond the 45nm technology node will be proved. Intellectual Merit:The project will add to the core knowledge of the technologically important material systems of silicon, metal and silicide. The study of hetero-nanocrystals will enrich the state-of-the-art knowledge on nanostructures and help discover more principles of the bottom-up nanofabrication technique: self-assembly. The incorporation of hetero-nanocrystals into metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor memories will also enrich the knowledge of nanoelectronic devices, particularly nonvolatile memories. Broader Impacts:The project involves curriculum activities that will help the Electrical Engineering department of UCR to develop an education specialization area with emphasis on experimental nanotechnology components. The project will train female and underrepresented graduate/undergraduate students to understand fundamentals and gain hands-on experience of nanostructures and memories. K-12 students/teachers will be involved through ongoing nanotechnology summer programs. The successful demonstration of this work can stimulate memory industry to produce denser integrated memory arrays using the concepts to replace present commercialized ones to facilitate people's daily lives.