KFM detection of charges injected by AFM into a thin SiO2 layer containing Si nanocrystals

C. Dumas (1) , Laurence Ressier (1) , Jérémie Grisolia (1) , Arnaud Arbouet , Vincent Paillard , Gérard Benassayag (2) , Sylvie Schamm-Chardon (2) , P. Normand (3)

1 LPCNO - Laboratoire de physique et chimie des nano-objets
2 CEMES-MEM - Matériaux et dispositifs pour l'Electronique et le Magnétisme
3 NCSR - National Center for Scientific Research "Demokritos"

Charge retention of Si nanocrystals elaborated by ultra-low energy ion implantation and thermal annealings into a thin SiO2 layer is characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Kelvin force microscopy (KFM). Electrons and holes are injected under ambient conditions by applying different bias to a conductive AFM tip in contact with the grounded sample. A surface potential mapping of the sample by KFM is continuously carried out after charge injection. The temporal decay of injected charges and their corresponding lateral spreading are quantified. The results show that the presence of Si nanocrystals leads to a strong charge confinement.

Domaines: Physique [physics]

C. Dumas, Laurence Ressier, Jérémie Grisolia, Arnaud Arbouet, Vincent Paillard, et al.. KFM detection of charges injected by AFM into a thin SiO2 layer containing Si nanocrystals. Microelectronic Engineering, 2008, 85 (12), pp.2358-2361. ⟨10.1016/j.mee.2008.09.027⟩. ⟨hal-01745038⟩