Formation of Si nanocrystals in thin SiO_2 films for memory device applications

摘要

X-ray Diffraction and Reflectivity, Transmission Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy were applied to study the effect of thermal annealing on the properties of thin SiO_x films (～ 15 nm) prepared by thermal evaporation of SiO in vacuum. It has been shown that furnace annealing at 1000 ℃ causes phase separation and formation of uniformly distributed Si nanocrystals into a SiO_2 matrix. Clockwise hysteresis has been observed in the C-V curves measured and explained by assuming charging and discharging of the NCs with carriers, which tunnel from the Si substrate.