Abstract
The operation characteristics of p-channel TaN/Al 2 O 3 /HfO 2 /HfAlO 2 /SiO 2 /Si MAHOS-type nonvolatile memory devices with different Ge contents in a SiGe buried channel are investigated in this letter. Compared with those of a device having a conventional Si-channel, both programming and erasing speeds are significantly improved by employing a Si 0.7 Ge 0.3 buried channel. Satisfactory retention and excellent endurance characteristics up to 10 6 P/E cycles with 4.1-V memory window show that the degradation on reliability properties, if it exists, is negligible when the SiGe buried channel is introduced. © 2012 IEEE.