Effect of temperature on data retention of silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-semiconductor nonvolatile memory transistors

The discharge behavior of silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-semiconductor nonvolatile memory transistors is investigated for a range of programming and storage temperatures spanning −55 °C to 200 °C. A number of empirical observations strongly limit the nature of the mechanisms that govern charge injection and decay. Both electrons and holes contribute to the charge storage properties of the transistors, and the decay properties of both are thermally activated with a continuous distribution of activation energies (trap depths). Charge decay, for both charge states, is negligibly limited by mechanisms other than those which are strongly thermally activated. The programming temperature, relative to the storage temperature, significantly impacts the retention time of the excess electron state, while not affecting the long term decay of the excess hole state. The experimental results also have significant implications regarding proper retention screening techniques and nonvolatile ROM programming techniques.