Many metal–insulator–metal systems show electrically induced resistive switching effects and have therefore been proposed as the basis for future non-volatile memories. They combine the advantages of Flash and DRAM (dynamic random access memories) while avoiding their drawbacks, and they might be highly scalable. Here we propose a coarse-grained classification into primarily thermal, electrical or ion-migration-induced switching mechanisms. The ion-migration effects are coupled to redox processes which cause the change in resistance. They are subdivided into cation-migration cells, based on the electrochemical growth and dissolution of metallic filaments, and anion-migration cells, typically realized with transition metal oxides as the insulator, in which electronically conducting paths of sub-oxides are formed and removed by local redox processes. From this insight, we take a brief look into molecular switching systems. Finally, we discuss chip architecture and scaling issues.

http://chialvo.org/Curso/UBACurso/DIA7/Papers/Aono_NatMat_07_Ionic%20Switching%20Memory.pdf

Nanoionics-based resistive switching memories

Redox‐Based Resistive Switching Memories – Nanoionic Mechanisms, Prospects, and Challenges

Memristive devices are electrical resistance switches that can retain a state of internal resistance based on the history of applied voltage and current. These devices can store and process information, and offer several key performance characteristics that exceed conventional integrated circuit technology. An important class of memristive devices are two-terminal resistance switches based on ionic motion, which are built from a simple conductor/insulator/conductor thin-film stack. These devices were originally conceived in the late 1960s and recent progress has led to fast, low-energy, high-endurance devices that can be scaled down to less than 10 nm and stacked in three dimensions. However, the underlying device mechanisms remain unclear, which is a significant barrier to their widespread application. Here, we review recent progress in the development and understanding of memristive devices. We also examine the performance requirements for computing with memristive devices and detail how the outstanding challenges could be met.

Memristive devices for computing

Core/Shell Nanoparticles: Classes, Properties, Synthesis Mechanisms, Characterization, and Applications

Nanoscale metal/oxide/metal switches have the potential to transform the market for nonvolatile memory and could lead to novel forms of computing. However, progress has been delayed by difficulties in understanding and controlling the coupled electronic and ionic phenomena that dominate the behaviour of nanoscale oxide devices. An analytic theory of the ‘memristor’ (memory-resistor) was first developed from fundamental symmetry arguments in 1971, and we recently showed that memristor behaviour can naturally explain such coupled electron–ion dynamics. Here we provide experimental evidence to support this general model of memristive electrical switching in oxide systems. We have built micro- and nanoscale TiO2 junction devices with platinum electrodes that exhibit fast bipolar nonvolatile switching. We demonstrate that switching involves changes to the electronic barrier at the Pt/TiO2 interface due to the drift of positively charged oxygen vacancies under an applied electric field. Vacancy drift towards the interface creates conducting channels that shunt, or short-circuit, the electronic barrier to switch ON. The drift of vacancies away from the interface annilihilates such channels, recovering the electronic barrier to switch OFF. Using this model we have built TiO2 crosspoints with engineered oxygen vacancy profiles that predictively control the switching polarity and conductance. Nanoscale metal/oxide/metal devices that are capable of fast non-volatile switching have been built from platinum and titanium dioxide. The devices could have applications in ultrahigh density memory cells and novel forms of computing.

Memristive switching mechanism for metal/oxide/metal nanodevices.

The resistive switching mechanism of 20- to 57-nm-thick TiO2 thin films grown by atomic-layer deposition was studied by current-voltage measurements and conductive atomic force microscopy. Electric pulse-induced resistance switching was repetitively (> a few hundred times) observed with a resistance ratio ⪢102. Both the low- and high-resistance states showed linear log current versus log voltage graphs with a slope of 1 in the low-voltage region where switching did not occur. The thermal stability of both conduction states was also studied. Atomic force microscopy studies under atmosphere and high-vacuum conditions showed that resistance switching is closely related to the formation and elimination of conducting spots. The conducting spots of the low-resistance state have a few tens times higher conductivity than those of the high-resistance state and their density is also a few tens times higher which results in a ∼103 times larger overall conductivity. An interesting finding was that the area where the ...

/pdf/resistive-switching-mechanism-of-tio2-thin-films-grown-by-3nzehglgs1.pdf

Resistive switching mechanism of TiO2 thin films grown by atomic-layer deposition

The filamentary resistance switching mechanism of a Pt∕40nm TiO2∕Pt capacitor structure in voltage sweep mode was investigated. It was unambiguously found that the conducting filaments propagate from the cathode interface and that the resistance switching is induced by the rupture and recovery of the filaments in the localized region (3–10nm thick) near the anode. The electrical conduction behavior in the high resistance state was well explained by the space charge limited current (SCLC) mechanism that occurs in the filament-free region. The various parameters extracted from the SCLC fitting supported the localized rupture and formation of filaments near the anode.

Anode-interface localized filamentary mechanism in resistive switching of TiO2 thin films

Electric-pulse-induced resistive switching of 43nm thick TiO2 thin films grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition was studied by current-voltage (I-V) and constant voltage-time measurements. The resistance ratio between the two stable states of the film constitutes approximately 1000. The allowed current level and voltage step width during the sweep mode I-V measurements influenced switching parameters, such as the switching voltage, time before switching, and resistance values. However, it was clearly observed that the power imparted to the film controlled mainly switching. The required power for successful switching was almost invariant irrespective of other measurement variables.

Identification of a determining parameter for resistive switching of TiO2 thin films

原子層蒸着で成長したTiO 2 薄膜の抵抗スイッチング機構

The electric-pulse-induced resistive switching properties of TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 /TiO 2 , and Al 2 O 3 /TiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 thin films were studied by current-voltage (I-V) measurements using Pt/insulator/Ru structures and conductive atomic force microscopy. The switching parameters of the TiO 2 film were stable, whereas those of the Al 2 O 3 films show random variations during repeated I-V measurements. Both films show resistive switching by a filamentary switching mechanism with linear conduction behavior in the low V region. The stacked film shows a bias polarity-dependent switching behavior. This suggests that the nucleation of the conducting filaments occurs at the interface where the electrons are injected.

Seol Choi

Papers

Resistive switching mechanism of TiO2 thin films grown by atomic-layer deposition

Anode-interface localized filamentary mechanism in resistive switching of TiO2 thin films

Identification of a determining parameter for resistive switching of TiO2 thin films

原子層蒸着で成長したTiO 2 薄膜の抵抗スイッチング機構

Resistive Switching in Pt ∕ Al2O3 ∕ TiO2 ∕ Ru Stacked Structures