MOS capacitor on 4H-SiC as a nonvolatile memory element

Abstract
Nonvolatile memory characteristics of MOS capacitors are presented in this letter. The MOS capacitors have been fabricated on N-type 4H SiC substrate with nitrided oxide-semiconductor interface. The charge-retention time is in the order of 4.6/spl times/10/sup 9/ years, as determined by thermally activated (275-355/spl deg/C) capacitance-transient measurements and extrapolation to room temperature. The estimated activation energy of the charge-generation processes is 1.6 eV. The results and the analysis presented in this letter demonstrate that 4H SiC MOS capacitors can be used as a memory element in nonvolatile RAMs.