Transparent non-volatile memory device using silicon quantum dots

A transparent non-volatile memory device was fabricated using silicon quantum dots in silicon nitride film as a gate insulator. A silicon quantum dots were grown in-situ in the film by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The silicon quantum dot film had a high optical transmittance of over 95% at 550 nm with a thickness of 50 nm. A large hysteresis curve was observed in a current-voltage measurement. When we increased the voltage sweep range, electrons were charged into the silicon quantum dots because of the electrical n-type channel in an oxide thin film transistor.