The variable retention time phenomenon has recently been highlighted as an important issue in dynamic random access memory (DRAM) technology. Based on electrically detected magnetic resonance and simulation studies, it was suggested that a single Si vacancy-oxygen complex defect was responsible for this phenomenon, when the defect was embedded in the near surface drain-gate boundary of a DRAM cell.

Single Silicon Vacancy-Oxygen Complex Defect and Variable Retention Time Phenomenon in Dynamic Random Access Memories. T.Umeda, K.Okonogi, K.Ohyu, S.Tsukada, K.Hamada, S.Fujieda, Y.Mochizuki: Applied Physics Letters, 2006, 88[25], 253504 (3pp)