Nonvolatile memory functionality of ZnO nanowire transistors controlled by mobile protons

Jongwon Yoon, Woong Ki Hong, Minseok Jo, Gunho Jo, Minhyeok Choe, Woojin Park, Jung Inn Sohn, Stanko Nedic, Hyungsang Hwang, Mark E. Welland, Takhee Lee

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

42 Scopus citations

Abstract

We demonstrated the nonvolatile memory functionality of ZnO nanowire field effect transistors (FETs) using mobile protons that are generated by high-pressure hydrogen annealing (HPHA) at relatively low temperature (400 ̊C). These ZnO nanowire devices exhibited reproducible hysteresis, reversible switching, and nonvolatile memory behaviors in comparison with those of the conventional FET devices. We show that the memory characteristics are attributed to the movement of protons between the Si/SiO2 interface and the SiO2/ZnO nanowire interface by the applied gate electric field. The memory mechanism is explained in terms of the tuning of interface properties, such as effective electric field, surface charge density, and surface barrier potential due to the movement of protons in the SiO2 layer, consistent with the UV photoresponse characteristics of nanowire memory devices. Our study will further provide a useful route of creating memory functionality and incorporating proton-based storage elements onto a modified CMOS platform for FET memory devices using nanomaterials.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)558-564
Number of pages7
JournalACS Nano
Volume5
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 25 Jan 2011

Keywords

  • Field effect transistors
  • Mobile protons
  • Nonvolatile memory
  • ZnO nanowires

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