High-Performance Charge Trapping Memories Achieved by Heterogeneous Interface Polarization

Abstract

The rapid development of modern electronic technology has created an urgent demand for high-density nonvolatile memory. To address this challenge, we propose a method that leverages the Maxwell–Wagner interface polarization effect to enhance the performance of charge trapping memory (CTM). By employing Al2O3 /LaTiO3 stacked structures with differing dielectric constants as charge trapping layers (CTLs), we create abundant trapping sites and significantly boost the charge trapping capability. The memory properties were systematically investigated and compared with different interface devices. Our device shows excellent memory performance with a 20.06 V memory window and a $4.9\times 10^{{13}}$ /cm2 charge trapping density at ±12 V sweep voltage, 91.2% charge retention after ten years, and stable frequency performance. These superior memory properties arise from the trapped charges that accumulate at heterogeneous interfaces to balance the electric field. Furthermore, additional thinner interfacial structures lead to a decline in memory performance due to atomic thermal diffusion. This study offers a promising approach for high-density nonvolatile memories.