In order to suppress the intra-nitride charge spreading in 3D Silicon-Oxide-Nitride-Oxide-Silicon (SONOS) flash memory where the charge trapping layer silicon nitride is shared along the cell string, N2 plasma treated on the silicon nitride is proposed. Experimental results show that the charge loss decreased in the plasma treated device after baking at 300 °C for 2 h. To extract trap density according to the location in the trapping layer, capacitance-voltage analysis was used and N2 plasma treatment was shown to be effective to restrain the interface trap formation between blocking oxide and silicon nitride. Moreover, from X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, the reduction of Si-O-N bonding was observed.
Keywords: Oxygen-related trap; SONOS; charge spreading; data retention; flash memory; plasma treatment.