Charge trap memory based on few-layer black phosphorus

Abstract

Atomically thin layered two-dimensional materials, including transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) and black phosphorus (BP), have been receiving much attention, because of their promising physical properties and potential applications in flexible and transparent electronic devices. Here, for the first time we show nonvolatile charge-trap memory devices, based on field-effect transistors with large hysteresis, consisting of a few-layer black phosphorus channel and a three dimensional (3D) Al₂O₃/HfO₂/Al₂O₃ charge-trap gate stack. An unprecedented memory window exceeding 12 V is observed, due to the extraordinary trapping ability of the high-k HfO₂. The device shows a high endurance of over 120 cycles and a stable retention of ∼30% charge loss after 10 years, even lower than the reported MoS₂ flash memory. The high program/erase current ratio, large memory window, stable retention and high on/off current ratio, provide a promising route towards flexible and transparent memory devices utilising atomically thin two-dimensional materials. The combination of 2D materials with traditional high-k charge-trap gate stacks opens up an exciting field of nonvolatile memory devices.