The electro-thermal erasing (ETE) configuration utilizes Joule heating intentionally generated at word-line (WL). The elevated temperature by heat physically removes stored electrons permanently within a very short time. Though the ETE configuration is a promising next generation NAND flash memory candidate, a consideration of power efficiency and erasing speed with respect to device structure and its scaling has not yet been demonstrated. In this context, based on 3-dimensional (3-D) thermal simulations, this paper discusses the impact of device structure and scaling on ETE efficiency. The results are used to produce guidelines for ETEs that will have lower power consumption and faster speed.
