Storing Electronic information on Semi-Metal Nanoparticles

This paper presents the use of selenium nanoparticles for the application of information storage in two terminal electronic memory devices. Selenium is a semi-metal with interesting electronic and optical properties that have seldom been studied in terms of electronic memory. In this study selenium nanoparticles have been demonstrated as an embedded charge storage layer between silicon oxide tunnel layer and silicon nitride blocking layer. The electrical characterisation demonstrates clear evidence that charge storage is taking place, and that it is indispensable without the presence of nanoparticles. AFM images show that selenium nanoparticles are almost uniformly distributed on Silicon substrate having a thin silicon dioxide tunnelling layer, and the electrical retention measurement shows potential for long term data storage