Silicon dioxide embedded germanium nanocrystals grown using molecular beam epitaxy for floating gate memory devices.

SiO2/Ge nanocrystals/SiO2 trilayer memory structure has been fabricated by oxidizing and subsequent annealing of self assembled SiGe nanoislands grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The optical and charge storage characteristics of trilayer structures have been studied through Raman spectroscopy and capacitance-voltage measurements, respectively. An anti-clockwise hysteresis in the C-V characteristics indicated the net electron trapping in the floating gate containing Ge nanocrystals. Frequency dependent measurements of device characteristics indicate that neither interface defects nor deep traps are dominant for the charging or discharging processes of nanocrystal floating gates.