Non-volatile memory with zinc oxide nanoparticles embedded in a hybrid polymethylsilsesquioxane layer

In this article the electrical characteristics of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NP) embedded in polymethylsilsesquioxane (PMSSQ) film have been studied. PMSSQ film with embedded ZnO NP was sandwiched between aluminium and ITO coated glass as a capacitor-based memory device. Charge transport mechanism in this device has been investigated. The device can be programmed and erased similar to a flash-memory. Programming the device causes the trapping of electrons transported from the aluminium into the ZnO NP via trapped-charge-limited current mechanism. The erasing of the memory device is via the Fowler–Nordheim tunneling of electrons in the opposition direction towards the aluminium electrode.