Subnanosecond flash memory enabled by 2D-enhanced hot-carrier injection

Yutong Xiang, Chong Wang, Chunsen Liu (), Tanjun Wang, Yongbo Jiang, Yang Wang, Shuiyuan Wang and Peng Zhou ()
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Yutong Xiang: Fudan University
Chong Wang: Fudan University
Chunsen Liu: Fudan University
Tanjun Wang: Fudan University
Yongbo Jiang: Fudan University
Yang Wang: Fudan University
Shuiyuan Wang: Fudan University
Peng Zhou: Fudan University

Nature, 2025, vol. 641, issue 8061, 90-97

Abstract: Abstract The pursuit of non-volatile memory with program speeds below one nanosecond, beyond the capabilities of non-volatile flash and high-speed volatile static random-access memory, remains a longstanding challenge in the field of memory technology1. Utilizing fundamental physics innovation enabled by advanced materials, series of emerging memories2–5 are being developed to overcome the speed bottleneck of non-volatile memory. As the most extensively applied non-volatile memory, the speed of flash is limited by the low efficiency of the electric-field-assisted program, with reported speeds6–10 much slower than sub-one nanosecond. Here we report a two-dimensional Dirac graphene-channel flash memory based on a two-dimensional-enhanced hot-carrier-injection mechanism, supporting both electron and hole injection. The Dirac channel flash shows a program speed of 400 picoseconds, non-volatile storage and robust endurance over 5.5 × 106 cycles. Our results confirm that the thin-body channel can optimize the horizontal electric-field (Ey) distribution, and the improved Ey-assisted program efficiency increases the injection current to 60.4 pA μm−1 at |VDS| = 3.7 V. We also find that the two-dimensional semiconductor tungsten diselenide has two-dimensional-enhanced hot-hole injection, but with different injection behaviour. This work demonstrates that the speed of non-volatile flash memory can exceed that of the fastest volatile static random-access memory with the same channel length.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08839-w

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