Simulating resistive switching in heterostructures based on oxide compounds

Simulations are used to study the influence of nonuniform electric field distribution at a heterojunction interface on the effect of bipolar resistive switching in oxide compounds. Computer models show that a conducting channel forms at the edge of a heterojunction area characterized by strong local increase in the electric field intensity. The computations are confirmed by the low temperature properties of metastable phases in heterojunctions based on high temperature superconductors.     

Bipolar resistive switching in heterostructures: Bismuth oxide/normal metal

Thin filmed heterojunctions Ag/Bi/BiOx/Ag were fabricated and the effect of frequency of applied ac voltage on bipolar resistive switching in the obtained heterojunctions was observed for the first time. It has been found that the frequency dependence of the effect has a universal character for some oxide compounds. This observation confirms the significant role of oxygen-ion migration in the resistive switching phenomena in structures based on oxide compounds.     

Frequency properties of heterostructures based on bismuth selenide upon bipolar resistive switching: Experiments and numerical simulation

The effect applied voltage frequency has on bipolar resistive switching in microcontact type heterostructures based on thin films and single crystals of bismuth selenide is studied both experimentally and via numerical simulation.     

Effect of copper oxide on the resistive switching responses of graphene oxide film

The role of CuO films in meliorating resistive switching behavior of graphene oxide (GO) in CuO/GO/CuO memory structure was investigated. An increase in the set voltage from 1.3 to 3.0 V and a step-like switching current was clearly observed when the GO film was sandwiched between two CuO layers. It is attributed to the fact that the set voltage of GO is lower than that of CuO and accumulated charge carriers located at the interface of GO and CuO can pass through CuO abruptly at set voltage of 3.0 V. Our results suggested that designed sandwich structure of materials with different set voltage enables to amend resistive switching response characteristics.     

Intrinsic resistive switching and memory effects in silicon oxide

Resistive switching behaviors are described in silicon oxide (SiO _x ) systems employing vertical E/SiO _x /E (E denotes the electrode) structures. The switching is largely independent of the electrode material and attributed to the intrinsic properties of SiO _x . Based on the recent experimental observation (Yao et al. in Nano Lett. 10:4105, 2010) of a silicon filament embedded in the SiO _x matrix, we further discuss the switching mechanism in light of the measured electrical phenomena. The set voltages are largely SiO _x -thickness independent, consistent with the mechanistic picture of point switching in the silicon filament. The multi-state switching and shifts in the set voltages with respect to the reset voltages are consistent with an electrochemical redox process (Si ↔ SiO _y ) at the switching site.     

Engineering oxide resistive switching materials for memristive device application

Based on a unified physical model and first-principle calculations, a material-oriented methodology has been proposed to control the bipolar switching behavior of an oxide-based resistive random access memory (RRAM) cell. According to the material-oriented methodology, the oxide-based RRAM cell can be designed by material engineering to achieve the required device performance. In this article, a Gd-doped HfO₂ RRAM cell with excellent bipolar switching characteristics is developed to meet the requirements of memristive device application. The typical memristive characteristics of the Gd-doped HfO₂ RRAM cell are presented, and the mechanism is discussed.     

Analysis of resistive switching behaviors of vanadium oxide thin film

We demonstrated the polarization of resistive switching for Cu/VO_x/Cu memory cell. Switching behaviors of Cu/VO_x/Cu cell were tested by semiconductor device analyzer (Agilent B1500A), and the relative micro-analysis of I-V characteristics of VO_x/Cu was characterized by conductive atomic force microscope (CAFM). The I-V test results indicated that both forming and the reversible resistive switching between low resistance state (LRS) and high resistance state (HRS) can be observed under either positive or negative sweep. The CAFM images for LRS and HRS directly exhibited evidences of the formation and rupture of filaments based on positive or negative voltage. Cu/VO_x/Cu sandwiched structure exhibits a reversible resistive switching behavior and shows potential applications in the next generation nonvolatile memory field.     

Self-learning ability realized with a resistive switching device based on a Ni-rich nickel oxide thin film

The resistive switching device based on a Ni-rich nickel oxide thin film exhibits an inherent learning ability of a neural network. The device has the short-term-memory and long-term-memory functions analogous to those of the human brain, depending on the history of its experience of voltage pulsing or sweeping. Neuroplasticity could be realized with the device, as the device can be switched from a high-resistance state to a low-resistance state due to the formation of stable filaments by a series of electrical pulses, resembling the changes such as the growth of new connections and the creation of new neurons in the brain in response to experience.     

Improved resistive switching phenomena observed in SiNx‐based resistive switching memory through oxygen doping process

The improvement of resistive switching (RS) phenomena of silicon‐nitride (SiN_x)‐based resistive random access memory (ReRAM) cells through oxygen doping process was investigated. As a result, compared to un‐doped SiN_x films, the oxygen doped SiN_x (SiN_x:O₂)‐based ReRAM cells show a lower current (～0.3 μA) level at a high resistance state and a smaller variation of operating voltage through the reduction of leakage current in the SiN_x:O₂ film by combining silicon dangling bonds and doped oxygen ions. Therefore, we believe that the oxygen doping process in SiN_x films can effectively improve the RS characteristics of SiN_x‐based ReRAM cells. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

氧化钒薄膜的微结构及阻变特性研究

采用射频反应溅射法于室温下在Cu/Ti/SiO₂/Si基底上制备了氧化钒薄膜. X-射线衍射、X射线光电子能谱分析仪及原子力显微镜结果表明, 室温下制备的氧化钒薄膜除微弱的V₂O₅ (101)和V₂O₃ (110)峰外, 没有明显的结晶取向, 是VO₂, V₂O₅, V₂O₃及VO的混合相薄膜, 且薄膜表面颗粒大小均匀, 表面均方根粗糙度约为1 nm. 采用半导体参数分析仪对薄膜的电开关特性进行测试. 结果表明薄膜具有较低的开关电压(V_Set<1 V, V_Reset<-0.5 V), 并且具有稳定的可逆开关特性. 薄膜从低阻态转变为高阻态的电流(I_Reset)随限流的增大而增大.通过高低阻态时I-V对数曲线的拟合(高阻态斜率>1, 低阻态斜率=1), 认为Cu离子在薄膜中扩散形成的导电细丝是该体系发生电阻转变的主要机制. 关键词： 氧化钒薄膜 电阻开关 电阻式非挥发存储器 导电细丝     

Oxygen deficiency effect on resistive switching characteristics of copper oxide thin films

In this Letter, bilayered Cu₂O/CuO thin films were grown on Nb doped SrTiO₃ (Nb:STO) substrates by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The current-voltage characteristics of Pt/Cu₂O/CuO/Nb:STO devices show reproducible and pronounced current-voltage hysteresis which was induced by the CuO/Nb:STO junctions. By comparing the current-voltage curves of the bilayered and single-layered CuO thin films, we attribute the prominent switching behavior to the oxygen-vacancies-mediated-carriers-trapped-detrapped process with the aid of the applied forward (reversed) bias voltage.     

Analysis of the resistive switching behaviors of vanadium oxide thin film

We demonstrate the polarization of resistive switching for a Cu/VOx/Cu memory cell.The switching behaviors of Cu/VOx/Cu cell are tested by using a semiconductor device analyzer(Agilent B1500A),and the relative micro-analysis of I-V characteristics of VOx/Cu is characterized by using a conductive atomic force microscope(CAFM).The I-V test results indicate that both the forming and the reversible resistive switching between low resistance state(LRS) and high resistance state(HRS) can be observed under either positive or negative sweep.The CAFM images for LRS and HRS directly exhibit evidence for the formation and rupture of filaments based on positive or negative voltage.The Cu/VOx/Cu sandwiched structure exhibits reversible resistive switching behavior and shows potential applications in the next generation of nonvolatile memory.     

Dynamic resistive switching in a three-terminal device based on phase separated manganites

A three-terminal device based on electronic phase separated manganites is suggested to produce high performance resistive switching. Our Monte Carlo simulations reveal that the conductive filaments can be formed/annihilated by reshaping the ferromagnetic metal phase domains with two cross-oriented switching voltages. Besides, by controlling the high resistance state(HRS) to a stable state that just after the filament is ruptured, the resistive switching remains stable and reversible, while the switching voltage and the switching time can be greatly reduced.     

Analysis and modeling of resistive switching mechanism oriented to fault tolerance of resistive memory based on memristor

With the progress of the semiconductor industry, resistive memories, especially the memristor, have drawn increasing attention. The resistive memory based on memrsitor has not been commercialized mainly because of data error. Currently, there are more studies focused on fault tolerance of resistive memory. This paper studies the resistive switching mechanism which may have time-varying characteristics. Resistive switching mechanism is analyzed and its respective circuit model is established based on the memristor Spice model.     

Coexistence of nonvolatile unipolar and volatile threshold resistive switching in the Pt/LaMnO3/Pt heterostructures

Coexistence of nonvolatile unipolar and volatile threshold resistive switching is observed in the Pt/LaMnO₃ (LMO)/Pt heterostructures. The nonvolatile unipolar memory is achieved by applying a negative bias, while the volatile threshold resistive switching is obtained under a positive bias. Additionally, the pristine low resistance state (LRS) could be switched to high resistance state (HRS) by the positive voltage sweeping, which is attributed to the conduction mechanism of Schottky emission. Subsequently, the insulator-to-metal transition in the LMO film due to formation of ferromagnetic metallic phase domain contributes to the volatile threshold resistive switching. However, the nonvolatile unipolar switching under the negative bias is ascribed to the formation/rupture of oxygen-vacancy conducting filaments. The simultaneously controllable transition between nonvolatile and volatile resistance switching by the polarity of the applied voltage exhibits great significance in the applications of in-memory computing technology.     

Laser prepared organic heterostructures based on star-shaped arylenevinylene compounds

This paper presents some studies about the preparation by matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique of organic bulk heterojunctions made from the mixture of a star-shaped arylenevinylene compound, 4,4′,4″-tris[(4′-diphenylamino)styryl] triphenylamine as donor and fullerene derivative, [6, 6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid butyl ester, as acceptor, in the weight ratio 1:2. The mixed layer has been characterized by spectroscopic (UV–Vis, Fourier transform infrared) and microscopic (AFM) methods, and the effects of the deposition conditions (number of pulses) and of a buffer layer of poly(aniline-co-aniline propane sulfonic acid) or poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate) have been analyzed. The study of the electrical properties has revealed a typical solar cell behavior for the heterostructure glass/ITO/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)/4,4′,4″-tris[(4′-diphenylamino)styryl] triphenylamine: [6, 6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid butyl ester/Al, confirming that MAPLE could be an adequate method for the preparation of active layer based on bulk heterojunction for solar cells.     

Electric pulse-induced resistive switching in ceramic interfaces

We show the existence of a reversible, complementary and polarity dependant electric pulse-induced resistance (EPIR) switching effects in Au/YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ ceramic superconductor interfaces. Non-volatile high and low resistance states and transition regions between them are obtained as a function of the amplitude and polarity of the pulsing voltage. Relaxation processes of the resistivity after applying the pulses, not associated with heating effects, are also observed. We also report on the temperature sensitivity of these resistance hysteresis switching loops, where both the difference between high and low resistance states and the voltage needed to produce the switching decrease with increasing temperature. Our results are consistent with a mechanism for the EPIR effect based on oxygen electromigration.     

Interface resistive switching effects in bulk manganites

A physical mechanism driving the resistance switching in heterocontacts, formed by a metal counterelectrode and electrically conducting bulk perovskite manganites, is discussed. The nature of the inelastic, charge-hopping transport inside insulating and strongly inhomogeneous metal/manganite interfaces is studied theoretically. Comparison with measured current-voltage characteristics for a La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃/Ag heterostructure in a high-resistance state reveals the presence of one or more charge traps along a conduction path within the interface. In a low-resistance state the main charge-transferring events are direct tunneling ones. The analysis of electrical noise measurements for a La_0.82Ca_0.18MnO₃ single crystal in three different charge-transport regimes shows scattering centers with a broad, flat spectrum of excitation states, independent of manganite electrical and/or magnetic characteristics. All of these results are consistent with an oxygen-drift model for a bistable resistance state in perovskites.      

Reproducible resistive switching effect for memory applications in heterocontacts based on strongly correlated electron systems

The transitional processes in heterocontacts based on strongly correlated electron systems (SCES) are studied for analyzing of the effect of resistive switching (ERS). It has been shown that the process is asymmetric with respect to switching into “on” and “off” states, the switching time is controlled by a voltage level, this time can be less than microseconds, on the other hand, relaxation processes can reach tens seconds. The switching is controlled by two processes: a change in the resistance state of the normal metal/SCES interface under effect of electric current field and by electrodiffusion of oxygen to vacancies, at that the doping level of the contact area and resistive properties of the heterocontact change. In particular, electrodiffusion of mobile oxygen induced by the electric field makes it possible to use a device with ERS as a memristor. On the other hand, a possibility to control the switching time and ON and OFF parameters show the possibilities to use these devices as memory elements “RAM”.     

High-speed multibit operation of a dual vacancy-type oxide device with extended bi-polar resistive switching behaviors

We investigated the resistive switching behaviors of the metal–copper oxide–metal devices with the enhanced capability in terms of high speed and multi-bit operation. From the analysis of the normal and extended resistive switching behaviors, the voltage-induced resistive changes were modeled and the resistive switching polarity was explained. Also, we proposed and fabricated a dual vacancy-type device structure with an extended resistive switching behavior and demonstrated a high-speed implemental 2-bit multi-bit operation by controlling specifically switch-on voltage pulses.