MEMORY DEVICE COMPRISING A STRAINED SEMICONDUCTOR DOUBLE-HETEROSTRUCTURE AND QUANTUM DOTS

摘要

An embodiment of the invention relates to a memory comprising a strained double-heterostructure (110) having an inner semiconductor layer (115) which is sandwiched between two outer semiconductor layers, (120, 125) wherein the lattice constant of the inner semiconductor layer differs from the lattice constants of the outer semiconductor layers, the resulting lattice strain in the double-heterostructure inducing the formation of at least one quantum dot inside the inner semiconductor layer, said at least one quantum dot being capable of storing charge carriers therein, and wherein, due to the lattice strain, the at least one quantum dot has an emission barrier (Eb) of 1,15 eV or higher, and provides an energy state density of at least three energy states per 1000 nm3, all said at least three energy states (186) being located in an energy band (DeltaWb) of 50 meV or less.