非揮發性記憶體(NVM)目前在元件尺寸持續微縮下的需求為高密度記憶單元、低功率損耗、快速讀寫操作、以及良好的可靠度(Reliability)。傳統浮動閘極(floating gate)記憶體在操作過程中如果穿隧氧化層產生漏電路徑會造成所有儲存電荷流失回到矽基板，所以在資料保存時間(Retention)和耐操度(Endurance)的考量下，很難去微縮穿隧氧化層的厚度。非揮發性奈米點記憶體被提出希望可取代傳統浮動閘極記憶體，由於奈米點可視為電荷儲存層中彼此分離的儲存點，可以有效改善小尺寸記憶體元件多次操作下的資料儲存能力。近年來發展了許多方法來形成奈米點，一般而言，大多數的方法都需要長時間高溫的熱製程，這個步驟會影響現階段半導體製程中的熱預算和產能。
在本文中，一個簡單、快速的製程方法用來形成鎢奈米點，並應用於非揮發性記憶體。室溫下，在氬氣和氮氣(Ar/N2) 的環境中濺鍍(sputtering)混合鈀材WSi2 形 成具有鎢-矽-氮三元的薄膜，並使用快速熱退火製程形成氮化矽(SiNx)包覆著鎢奈米點的非揮發性記憶體結構，其中氮氣扮演一個重要的角色，可以簡單並均勻地形成高密度(~1012 cm-2)的奈米點。
使用快速熱退火製程(RTA)可以增進奈米點的結晶性(crystalline)和記憶體的可靠度，熱處理可以減少奈米點周圍氮化矽中的缺陷(defect)。
我們應用高介電常數材料做為元件的阻障氧化層(Blocking oxide)預期利用材料的特性來增進奈米點成核數量，並有助於樣品的性能，如資料保存時間、耐操度、寫入速度等等特性。此外，這個應用在非揮性記憶體的製程技術同時也適用於現階段積體電路製程。

Chapter 1

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