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Engineering of Grain Boundaries in CeO 2 Enabling Tailorable Resistive Switching Properties

Journal Article · · Advanced Electronic Materials
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [4];  [2];  [5];  [6]
  1. Purdue University School of Materials Engineering Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering 701 West Stadium Avenue West Lafayette IN 47907‐2045 USA
  2. University of Cambridge Department of Materials Science &, Metallurgy 27 Charles Babbage Road Cambridge CB3 0FS UK
  3. Purdue University Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering 701 West Stadium Avenue West Lafayette IN 47907‐2045 USA
  4. Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos NM 87545 USA
  5. University at Buffalo, the State University of New York School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Department of Materials Design and Innovation 136 Bell Hall Buffalo NY 14260 USA
  6. Purdue University School of Materials Engineering Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering 701 West Stadium Avenue, Room 2235 West Lafayette IN 47907‐2045 USA

Abstract

Defect engineering in valence change memories aimed at tuning the concentration and transport of oxygen vacancies are studied extensively, however mostly focusing on contribution from individual extended defects such as single dislocations and grain boundaries. In this work, the impact of engineering large numbers of grain boundaries on resistive switching mechanisms and performances is investigated. Three different grain morphologies, that is, “random network,” “columnar scaffold,” and “island‐like,” are realized in CeO 2 thin films. The devices with the three grain morphologies demonstrate vastly different resistive switching behaviors. The best overall resistive switching performance is shown in the devices with “columnar scaffold” morphology, where the vertical grain boundaries extending through the film facilitate the generation of oxygen vacancies as well as their migration under external bias. The observation of both interfacial and filamentary switching modes only in the devices with a “columnar scaffold” morphology further confirms the contribution from grain boundaries. In contrast, the “random network” or “island‐like” structures result in excessive or insufficient oxygen vacancy concentration migration paths. The research provides design guidelines for grain boundary engineering of oxide‐based resistive switching materials to tune the resistive switching performances for memory and neuromorphic computing applications.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
1960671
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 2007380
OSTI ID: 1960673
Journal Information:
Advanced Electronic Materials, Journal Name: Advanced Electronic Materials Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 9; ISSN 2199-160X
Publisher:
Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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