Superior characteristics of thermal oxide layers grown on amorphous silicon films

Abstract
Thermal oxide layers grown on polycrystalline and amorphous silicon films have been analyzed and compared by using scanning electron microscope (SEM) photographs, ramp-voltage-stressed current-voltage (I-V) measurements, and constant current stress. The asperity effect observed from SEM photographs and the ramp-voltage-stressed I-V technique is found to be less serious for the thermal oxides grown on the amorphous silicon films, resulting in a smaller leakage current and a larger electron fluence endurance. These superior characteristics enable the amorphous silicon to be a good candidate for further scaled nonvolatile memory device applications.