Nanocrystal memory and methods for forming same
View Patent ↗A charge-storing device includes a charge-storing layer including nanocrystals. The nanocrystals are formed by a deposition technique incorporating deuterated hydrides. The deuterated hydride can be used to form an amorphous semiconductor material that is annealed to form nanoparticles to be incorporated into the charge-storing layer.
1. A method of making a charge storage device, the method comprising:
depositing an amorphous semiconductor material over a dielectric layer using a deuterated hydride;
annealing, in an inert atmosphere, the amorphous semiconductor material to form particles; and
forming a dielectric material around the particles.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing includes depositing at a temperature in a range of 300° C. to 650° C.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the temperature is in a range of 500° C. to 650° C.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing includes depositing using a mixture of deuterated hydride and non-deuterated hydride.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing includes depositing the amorphous semiconductor material to a thickness in a range of 10 Å to 100 Å.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the deuterated hydride includes silicon, germanium, gallium, arsenic, or any combination thereof.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the deuterated hydride includes silicon or germanium.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the deuterated hydride includes deuterated or partially deuterated silane, disilane, or trisilane.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein annealing in the inert atmosphere includes annealing in the presence of nitrogen or argon.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein annealing includes annealing at a temperature in a range of 600° C. to 1150° C.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising depositing a second semiconductor material.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein depositing the second semiconductor material includes depositing using deuterated hydride.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the deuterated hydride includes deuterated or partially deuterated silane, disilane, or trisilane.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein depositing the second semiconductor material includes depositing using a mixture of deuterated hydride and non-deuterated hydride.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein depositing the second semiconductor material includes depositing to a thickness in a range of 10 Å to 100 Å.
16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising annealing in an inert atmosphere after depositing the second semiconductor material, the second semiconductor material agglomerating with the particles.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising annealing in the presence of a nitrous species after depositing the second semiconductor material and annealing.
18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a second dielectric material around the particles to form a charge-storing layer.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising depositing a conductive layer over the charge-storing layer.
20. A method of making a charge storage device, the method comprising:
depositing a first amorphous semiconductor material over a dielectric layer;
annealing in an inert atmosphere, the first amorphous semiconductor material forming particles;
depositing a second amorphous semiconductor material over the dielectric layer and the particles; and
annealing in an inert atmosphere, the second amorphous semiconductor material agglomerating with the particles;
wherein depositing the first amorphous semiconductor material or depositing the second amorphous material is performed using deuterated hydride.