Ultra-fast erase method of SONOS flash memory by instantaneous thermal excitation

Abstract

An ultra-fast erasing process that acts within 200 ns is demonstrated in a junctionless gate-all-around nanowire silicon-oxide？nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) device. Rapid erasing is enabled with the use of instantaneous thermal excitation (TE) process through a double-ended gate structure of the fabricated device. Charges inside the charge trap layer comprised of a silicon nitride are de-trapped by Joule heating. Moreover, an in-situ self-annealing effect accompanied by the TE erase method is achieved

hence, both the tunnel oxide quality and the retention characteristics are less degraded compared with the conventional Fowler-Nordheim erase method.