Scanning nonlinear dielectric microscopy observation of accumulated charges in metal-SiO2-SiN-SiO2-Si flash memory by detecting higher-order nonlinear permittivity

Using scanning nonlinear dielectric microscopy with high-sensitivity capacitance variation detection capability, we succeeded in the high-resolution visualization of accumulated charges in metal-SiO2-SiN-SiO2-Si flash memory by detecting the higher-order (2-4 order) nonlinear permittivity. The obtained image contrast can be interpreted using a higher-order differential coefficient (dnC/dVn) of a quasi-static C-V curve of the SiO2-SiN-SiO2-Si interface capacitance as a function of externally applied voltage. Moreover, by using a higher-order nonlinear image, the charge concentration resolution can be improved. Thus, improved resolution of the spatial charge distribution is expected through improvement of the concentration resolution by the imaging of higher-order nonlinear dielectric terms.